Genetic structure and interpopulation differentiation of eight Pinus sylvestris L. populations in the Eastern European plain

A study of the genetic structure and differentiation of eight populations of Pinus sylvestris L. on the Russian Plain showed that the populations of PsI and PsII ( D =0.066) are located at the smallest genetic distance, and between the populations of PsI and PsIV ( D =0.308) at the greatest genetic distance. On the dendrogram, the studied populations formed four clusters: PsI and PsII ; PsIII and PsIV ; PsV and PsVI ; PsVII and PsVIII . Analysis of the genetic structure of eight populations of P. sylvestris showed that the expected proportion of heterozygous genotypes ( HT ) for the total sample was 0.320, the expected proportion of heterozygous genotypes in a single population for all loci ( HS ) was 0.170, therefore, the population subdivision ( GST ) was high and amounted to 0.468. The studied populations are highly differentiated, since the interpopulation component accounts for 46.8% of the genetic diversity. In all studied populations, the indicator h has values less than 0.3. An analysis of the fraction of rare alleles showed that the genetic structure is less balanced in the populations PsIII ( h =0.254) and PsIV ( h =0.273). The most balanced genetic structure in the populations of PsVII ( h =0.112) and PsVIII ( h =0.127). Data on the genetic structure and differentiation of the common pine populations should be taken into account when developing recommendations for preserving their gene pools.