Genetic diversity, gene flow, and differentiation among wild, semiwild, and landrace chile pepper (Capsicum annuum) populations in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Gene flow between wild and domesticated populations may be mediated by backyards and smallholder farms, while mating systems may facilitate gene flow between landraces and semiwild populations. Domestication and elevation may overlap in their influence on genetic differentiation. Lowland Gui'ña dani clustered with highland landraces perhaps due to the social history of the Zapotec peoples. In situ conservation may play an important role in preserving semiwild populations and private alleles found in landraces.