Original scientific paper

Genetic Characterization of Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina

DALIBOR BALLIAN ; University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Forestry, Zagrebačka 20, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
IGNAZIO MONTELEONE ; University of Turin, DIVAPRA, Plant Genetics and Breeding, via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (Torino), Italy
DIANA FERRAZZINI ; University of Turin, DIVAPRA, Plant Genetics and Breeding, via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (Torino), Italy
DAVORIN KAJBA ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry, Svetošimunska 25, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
PIERO BELLETTI ; University of Turin, DIVAPRA, Plant Genetics and Breeding, via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (Torino), Italy

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) is a
species with a widespread distribution in Europe. It mostly grows on
mesophyll sites, mainly in karst valleys and by forest creeks, and in Herzegovina at northern expositions and higher altitudes with somewhat better types of soil.

Materials and Methods: We studied 10 natural populations. We collected dormant buds with branches from 24 trees, randomly selected, but equally distributed in the population. We used six pairs of highly polymorphous microsatellite loci for identification and verification of genetic differentiation (FEMSATL 04, 10, 11, 12, 16 and 19). We additionally analyzed integration between genetic and ecological data for the area where material was selected, and also defined genetically homogenous areas of common ash.

Results and Conclusions: The research of intra-population genetic
structure pointed at the presence of a high level of polymorphism. Confirmation for such high polymorphism is in populations with approximately 10.2 alleles per locus (N) of the observed heterozygosis (Ho), while in the expected heterozygosis the values were considerably higher. Analysis of the inbreeding
coefficient showed the value of 0.312, which demonstrates the
presence of inbreeding in investigated populations. In this study we obtained a very low value of differentiation between populations, with the FST value as low as 0.023; this value measures the proportion of the total genetic diversity due to differences among populations. By correlation of the obtained microsatellite data and basic ecological parameters, climate for instance, common ash was grouped into two groups. The remaining five studied populations could not be grouped to either of these two, or a separate one, and they represent autonomous genetic units.

Keywords

Common ash; Fraxinus excelsior L.; genetic variability; microsatellites; population structure; preservation of genetic resources preservation; Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hrčak ID:

35932

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/35932

Publication date:

31.12.2008.

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