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Leaf epidermal characteristics and genetic variability in Central European populations of broad-leaved Festuca L. taxa

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Abstract

Leaf epidermal (micromorphological and micromorphometric) features of the leaf blade were examined with light and scanning electron microscopy in 49 Central European natural populations of species belonging to subgenera Schedonorus and Drymanthele within the genus Festuca L. In addition, molecular biological (random amplified polymorphic DNA) studies were conducted on selected populations. The goal of the study was to reveal the degree of anatomical and genetic variability at the taxon and population level, as well as to determine the most important characters that allow differentiation of the taxa in these two subgenera. The anatomical variation was compared with the genetic distance between taxa. Investigated taxa exhibited great anatomic variability in terms of both qualitative (presence or absence, shape and appearance of various cell types) and quantitative characters (frequency and size of cells). Strong correlation was found between the genetic distance of populations and the frequency and size of silica cells in the costal zone of the epidermis, which indicates that silica cells are largely determined by the genetic background, regardless of varying environmental conditions. Our studies highlight that despite the high level of variability in anatomical features and genetic polymorphism, these fescue populations clearly segregate both in terms of epidermal structure and genetic constitution.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the director of the Experimental Station, Sárvár,– Hungarian Forest Research Institute, and the head of the Scanning Laboratory - University of West Hungary, for their generosity and help in using the facilities and in laboratory analysis. The investigations were supported by the Reserach Project TAMOP-4.2.1/B-09/2010 No 0652/825.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, University of West Hungary, Szombathely, Hungary

    Magdolna Dani & Attila J. Kovács

  2. Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary

    Ágnes Farkas & Rita Filep

  3. Department of Forest Tree Breeding, Hungarian Forest Research Institute, Sárvár, Experimental Station, Sárvár, Hungary

    Klára Cseke

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  1. Magdolna Dani
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  2. Ágnes Farkas
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  3. Klára Cseke
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  5. Attila J. Kovács
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Correspondence to Magdolna Dani.

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Dani, M., Farkas, Á., Cseke, K. et al. Leaf epidermal characteristics and genetic variability in Central European populations of broad-leaved Festuca L. taxa. Plant Syst Evol 300, 431–451 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-013-0893-8

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