Southern Research Station

Title: Allozyme and RAPD Analysis of the Genetic Diversity and Geographic Variation in Wild Populations of the American Chestnut (Fagaceae)

Author: Huang, Hongwen; Dane, Fenny; Kubisiak, Thomas L.

Date: 1998

Source: American Journal of Botany 85(7): 1013-1021. 1998.

Description: Genetic variation among 12 populations of the American chestnut (Custanea dentata) was investigated. Population genetic parameters estimated from allozyme variation suggest that C. dentata at both the population and species level has narrow genetic diversity as compared to other species in the genus. Average expected heterozygosity was relatively low for the population collected in the Black Rock Mountain State Park, Georgia (H_e = 0.096 ± 0.035), and high for the population in east central Alabama (H_e = 0.196 ± 0.048). Partitioning of the genetic diversity based on 18 isozyme loci showed that -10% of the allozyme diversity resided among populations. Cluster analysis using unweighted pair-group method using arithmetric averages of Rogers' genetic distance and principal components analysis based on allele frequencies of both isozyme and RAPD loci revealed four groups: the southernmost population, south-central Appalachian populations, north- central Appalachian populations, and northern Appalachian populations. Based on results presented in this study, a conservation strategy and several recommendations related to the backcross breeding aimed at restoring C. dentata are discussed.

Keywords: allozyme variation, Castanea dentata, conservation, Fagaceae, geographic variation, genetic diversity

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Citation

Huang, Hongwen; Dane, Fenny; Kubisiak, Thomas L.  1998.  Allozyme and RAPD Analysis of the Genetic Diversity and Geographic Variation in Wild Populations of the American Chestnut (Fagaceae).   American Journal of Botany 85(7): 1013-1021. 1998.