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Salient Biological Features, Systematics, and Genetic Variation of Populus

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Genetics and Genomics of Populus

Part of the book series: Plant Genetics and Genomics: Crops and Models ((PGG,volume 8))

Abstract

The genus Populus includes morphologically diverse species of deciduous, relatively short-lived, and fast-growing trees. Most species have wide ranges of distribution but tend to occur primarily in riparian or mountainous habitats. Trees from this genus are typically dioecious, flower before leaf emergence, and produce large amounts of wind-dispersed pollen or seeds. Seedlings are drought- and shade-intolerant, and their establishment depends on disturbance and high soil moisture. Asexual reproduction is common and occurs via root sprouting and/or rooting of shoots. Fossil records suggest that the genus appeared in the late Paleocene or early Eocene (i.e., 50–60 million years BP). According to one commonly used classification, the genus is comprised of 29 species divided into six sections, but a number of phylogenetic inconsistencies remain. Natural hybridization both within and among sections is extensive and is believed to have played a major role in the evolution of extant species of Populus. Both neutral molecular markers and adaptive traits reveal high levels of genetic variation within populations. Deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium are commonly detected in molecular marker studies. These deviations typically have small to moderate magnitudes and tend to be caused by heterozygote deficiency, indicating the possible existence of population substructure. Genetic differentiation among populations is much stronger for adaptive traits than for neutral markers, which suggests that divergent selection has played a dominant role in shaping patterns of adaptive genetic variation. Molecular and bioinformatic resources are actively being developed for multiple species of Populus, which makes this genus an excellent system for studying tree genetics and genomics.

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Acknowledgements

GTS was supported by NSF FIBR grant 0425908 and the BioEnergy Science Center, a U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center (Office of Biological and Environmental Research in the DOE Office of Science). We thank Steve DiFazio, Glenn Howe, Donna Ford-Werntz, and Reinhard Stettler for their comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA

    Gancho T. Slavov

  2. Department of Dendrology, University of Forestry, Sofia, 1756, Bulgaria

    Peter Zhelev

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  1. Gancho T. Slavov
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  2. Peter Zhelev
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Correspondence to Gancho T. Slavov .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Plant Physiology, University of Umea, Umea, 901 87, Sweden

    Stefan Jansson

  2. Agricultural Sciences, Swedish University of, Umea, 901 83, Sweden

    Rishikesh Bhalerao

  3. Inst. Forest Genetics &, USDA Forest Service, Davis, 95618, U.S.A.

    Andrew Groover

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Slavov, G.T., Zhelev, P. (2010). Salient Biological Features, Systematics, and Genetic Variation of Populus . In: Jansson, S., Bhalerao, R., Groover, A. (eds) Genetics and Genomics of Populus. Plant Genetics and Genomics: Crops and Models, vol 8. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1541-2_2

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