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Species delimitation, genetic diversity and structure of the European indigenous wild pear (Pyrus pyraster) in Saxony, Germany

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Abstract

The present study investigated genetic diversity, structure and hybridization in a collection of the endangered wild pear species Pyrus pyraster (L.) Burgd. A total of 278 putative ‘true type’ P. pyraster trees originating from seven populations in the federal state of Saxony in Germany were analyzed along with 35 pear cultivars commonly cultivated in Saxony. The genetic analysis was performed using nine nuclear microsatellite markers (ncSSR) and two paternally inherited chloroplast marker (cpDNA) amplifying in the intergenic spacer region trnQ–rps16 and the intron region rps16. On basis of the ncSSR dataset after STRUCTURE analysis 80 % of the wild pear individuals were assigned as ‘true type’ P. pyraster genotypes. The cpDNA analysis showed shared haplotypes in P. pyraster and P. communis but with an unequal frequency in both species. The analysis of molecular variance resulted in a moderate (ncSSR) and great (cpDNA) variation among ‘true type’ P. pyraster and the pear cultivars. The genetic diversity in the ‘true type’ P. pyraster populations was still high and the genetic structure between the populations low (ncSSR and cpDNA) indicating a genetic exchange between the populations by pollen and seeds. The clear discrimination between the P. pyraster and P. communis confirms our expectation of the existence of ‘true type’ P. pyraster individuals in the study area. The existing genetic integrity and the high genetic diversity argue for the implementation of preservation measures in P. pyraster.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) through the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), grant number 2810BM018 and 2810BM025. We thank Claudia Wiedow for her helpful comments. We also thank Monika Höfer from the Julius Kühn Institute in Dresden-Pillnitz for providing the pear cultivar samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wood and Forestry Competence Centre, Public Enterprise Sachsenforst, Forest Genetics and Forest Plant Breeding, Bonnewitzer Str. 34, Graupa, 01796, Pirna, OT, Germany

    Stefanie Reim, Heike Wolf & Heino Wolf

  2. Green League Osterzgebirge e.V., Große Wassergasse 9, 01744, Dippoldiswalde, Germany

    Frank Lochschmidt & Anke Proft

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  1. Stefanie Reim
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Correspondence to Stefanie Reim.

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Reim, S., Lochschmidt, F., Proft, A. et al. Species delimitation, genetic diversity and structure of the European indigenous wild pear (Pyrus pyraster) in Saxony, Germany. Genet Resour Crop Evol 64, 1075–1085 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-016-0426-8

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