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Impact of selection and breeding on the genetic diversity in Douglas-fir

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Genetic changes following domestication of Douglas-fir were studied using isozyme data derived from two generations of seed orchards and their 49 wild progenitor populations. In addition, the breeding, production, and infusion populations used in the seed orchards were compared to their wild counterparts. Several parameters of gene diversity were measured (number of alleles per locus N a, per cent of polymorphic loci PLP, and expected heterozygosity H, and population divergence D). These measures were similar or higher in the domesticated populations compared to their natural progenitors, indicating that early selection and breeding of a highly polymorphic species does not significantly reduce genetic variation. The two generations of seed orchards also did not differ, indicating that genetic variation may remain stable over future generations of forest plantations. Interestingly, compared to the natural populations, heterozygosity was higher in the seed orchards, probably due to pooling of widely distributed natural populations; however, rare localized or private alleles seemed to be less frequent in the domesticated populations. Differentiation values were not significant between the first generation orchards and the natural populations, but significant differences were observed between the second generation orchards and the wild progenitor populations, probably due to the interbreeding that forms the advanced generation seed orchards.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Forest Products Limited, Saanich Forestry Centre, V8M 1K1, Saanichton, BC, Canada

    Yousry A. El-Kassaby

  2. Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Yousry A. El-Kassaby

  3. Department of Botany, University of Toronto, M5S 3B2, Ontario, Canada

    Kermit Ritland

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  1. Yousry A. El-Kassaby
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  2. Kermit Ritland
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El-Kassaby, Y.A., Ritland, K. Impact of selection and breeding on the genetic diversity in Douglas-fir. Biodivers Conserv 5, 795–813 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00051787

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00051787

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