Piper species (Piperaceae) of Sri Lanka and the diversity of the economically important Piper nigrum (black pepper): An overview of what has been done and what is yet to be achieved

Applying restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and target capture for Piper species from species-rich South America and India, Southeast Asia, and Africa will highlight the origin and evolution of Sri Lankan endemics, P. zeylanicum, P. walkerii, and P. trineuron. Looking into the genetic diversity of cultivated P. nigrum from different agroclimatic regions and available germplasm in Sri Lanka using RADseq will give an overview of the existing genetic diversity of black pepper, which is economically important and needs genetic improvement. Variation in flower composition (male, female or bisexual) across the spikes and their shape is of major interest to evolutionary and pollination biologists and plant systematists. The 3D shape models of flowers obtained by computed tomography of the wild species of Piper from Sri Lanka and cultivated P. nigrum will play an important role in revising the taxonomy and understanding the pollination biology of the genus.