Genetic diversity comparative evaluation of Pinus Sylvestris L. and Picea x Fennica (regel) kom. native populations and clonal seed orchards in russian Karelia

Abstract

Genetic diversity levels in 4 native populations of Finnish spruce and Scots pine each and 2 fields of conifer seed orchard growing in Karelia have been investigated using microsatellite loci. As a result high levels of basic genetic diversity parameters have been revealed for native populations of both species. It was found that expected heterozygosity figers calculated for the populations investigated were higher than the observed ones. This case thereby indicates a deficit of heterozygotes in the Karelian pine and spruce populations. Genetic diversity figures found for spruce seed orchard were much lower than for native populations of Picea x fennica. This fact, in our opinion, reflects the unsufficent representation of genetic pool both within the seed orchard field investigated and in spruce plus trees' breeding population on the whole. Scots pine seed orchard has been characterised by a high level of genetic diversity matched to native populations one.

Keywords

Pinus sylvestris L., Picea x fennica (Regel) Kom / native populations / seed orchards / Pinus sylvestris L / Picea x fennica (Regel) Kom / microsatellite loci / genetic diversity / heterozygosity

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Ilinov A.A., Raevsky B.V.