Medium term water deficit elicits distinct transcriptome responses in Eucalyptus species of contrasting environmental origin

Background Climatic and edaphic conditions over geological timescales have generated enormous diversity of adaptive traits and high speciation within the genus Eucalyptus (L. Her.). Eucalypt species occur from high rainfall to semi-arid zones and from the tropics to latitudes as high as 43°S. Despite several morphological and metabolomic characterizations, little is known regarding gene expression differences that underpin differences in tolerance to environmental change. Using species of contrasting taxonomy, morphology and physiology (E. globulus and E. cladocalyx), this study combines physiological characterizations with ‘second-generation’ sequencing to identify key genes involved in eucalypt responses to medium-term water limitation.