Microsatellite analysis of small anonymous seedlot samples from pedunculate oak (Quercus robur): a promising approach to monitor the number of different seed parents and pollen donors

2001

S. 239-250

Bandaufführung

79687

We have tested microsatellite analysis to monitor within-stand genetic diversity in seedlot samples from pedunculate oak (Quercus robur). We focused on two key criteria of within-stand diversity: the number of seed parents (mother trees) included in the seed harvests, and the number of pollen donors (father trees) contributing to the open pollinated families. Our results show that nuclear micorsatellite loci are suitable to detect seed contaminations and to infer the genotypes of the seed parents directly from genotype data of extremely small anonymous acorn samples (five to eight acorns per mother tree), given that the samples from each putative mother tree have been supplied separately. Subsequently, the number of different mother trees for such anonymous seedlot samples can be inferred by comparing the reconstructed maternal genotypes and by calculating Fsr pairwise between the families. Furthermore, we have tested an approach to infer the number of different pollen donors directly from open pollinated families by analysing haplotype arrays of closely linked microsatellite markers transmitted from the fathers to the progeny. We selected three closely linked microsatellites from a previously constructed genetic map of Quercus robur, then we used simulated data of these linked markers segregating in open pollinated families to test the approach in detail. The procedures presented here are designed for small sample sizes and for situations where no genotypes information is available for the parent population. Therefore they are potentially useful for monitoring commercial seedlot samples from Quercus robur.