Application of amplified fragment length polymorphisms markers to study the hybridization between Pinus sibirica and P. pumila

Abstract

The genetic diversity of Pinus sibirica, P. pumila, and their hybrids, in a mixed natural stand was studied using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP). The stand was situated in the northern slope of the Khamar-Daban Ridge. Hybrid trees were determined by their morphological traits in the field. Three AFLP primer combinations detected 167 bands in 35 putative hybrids, and in 25 P. sibirica and 26 P. pumila individuals. Genetic variation in the hybrids was the highest, and was the lowest in P. sibirica. Principal coordinate analysis clustered P. sibirica, P. pumila and the hybrid genotypes into three distinct groups. Nei’s distance between the species was 0.193, whereas that between the hybrids and P. sibirica was 0.047, and between hybrids and P. pumila it was 0.074. Application of AFLP in the future studies promises to increase our knowledge of P. sibirica and P. pumila hybridization.