Isoenzymatic variability in some of the Polish populations of Norway spruce (Picea abies) in the IUFRO-1972 provenance trial

Abstract

The isoenzymatic studies performed on nine Picea abies H. Karst populations from Poland, indicated considerable genetic variation among investigated stands. Genetic similarities have demonstrated a clear pattern of geographic variability. Three of the nine studied populations (Zwierzyniec, Nowe Ramuki and Orawa) have shown markedly diverse characteristics compared to the remaining populations. The mountain populations have formed one group with two related subgroups. The mean number of alleles per locus (A / L = 2,22) and level of heterozygosity (Hp = 0,194) for the lowland populations are within the range of these parameters for other Norway spruce populations from Finland and Lithuania. The populations from Carpathians and Sudety mountains are geneticaly more polymorphic (Ho = 0,221, A / L = 2,34) than the others. This pattern of genetic variation suggests the existance of two gene pools, one from southern and one from northern Poland formed during the glacial period and differentiated further in southern Poland into two subpools.

Keywords

• Picea abies
• isoenzymes
• genetic variation