Evaluation of genetic diversity in natural populations of Japanese larch for its conservation and breeding

• Main Author: Maldia, Lerma San Jose
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2010
• Subjects: Japanese larch; Mitochondrial DNA; Plant Breeding and Genetics
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/12202
• Institution: De La Salle University

Assessment of genetic conservation needs for a particular species should first consider the development of baseline information on populations, such as levels of genetic diversity within and among populations, population structure and genetic relationships among populations. Conservation genetics, therefore, has been anchored on this information for the implementation of conservation policies in a given species, especially determining in situ conservation programs and giving priority for species and populations to be conserved.The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of natural populations of Japanese larch and demonstrate how the information can be utilized for development of effective conservation strategies and breeding programs of the species. To address these, the levels of genetic variation within and among natural populations of Japanese larch were evaluated using the analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) and nuclear microsatellites. The genetic diversity of Japanese larch plus trees selected from plantations in Hokkaido was also evaluated and compared against the level of genetic diversity of the natural populations. Since the plus trees have little reliable information regarding their specific provenance in central Japan, the specific objectives included the identification of their provenance based on their multilocus genotypes.