Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T09:50:47.812Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genetic variation in Fitzroya cupressoides cultivated in the British Isles, assessed using RAPDs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 1998

T. R. Allnutt ,
P. Thomas ,
A. C. Newton  and
M. F. Gardner
T. R. Allnutt
Affiliation:
Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JU, UK.
P. Thomas
Affiliation:
Conifer Conservation Programme, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK.
A. C. Newton
Affiliation:
Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JU, UK.
M. F. Gardner
Affiliation:
Conifer Conservation Programme, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK.
Get access

Abstract

Fitzroya cupressoides (Molina) Johnston (Cupressaceae), a threatened conifer native to southern South America, has been cultivated in a number of gardens and arboreta in the British Isles since its introduction in 1849. In order to assess the importance of these cultivated trees for ex situ conservation, foliar samples were collected from 48 trees from throughout the British Isles, including five of known wild origin (Chile). DNA was extracted from these samples and assessed using the RAPD technique, in order to examine the extent of genetic variation. All samples from the cultivated trees of unknown origin, with one exception, were found to be genetically identical. In contrast, the five samples of known wild origin revealed pronounced polymorphism, varying from 5.3% to 49.1% between individuals. These results suggest that virtually all of the F. cupressoides trees currently cultivated in the British Isles have been derived from a single individual by vegetative propagation. Their value for ex situ conservation is therefore likely to be extremely limited. The implications of these results for the genetic conservation of other taxa in gardens and arboreta is discussed.

Keywords

Coniferex situ conservationgenetic variationRAPDs
Type
Articles
Information
Edinburgh Journal of Botany , Volume 55 , Issue 3 , November 1998 , pp. 329 - 341
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

ANON (1851). Miscellanes: Le Fitzroya patagonica. Flores des Serves et des Jardins de l'Europe 1: 129–131.Google Scholar
ANON, 15 February (1851). Advertisement for sale of Libocedrus chilensis seedlings. Gardeners' Chronicle 7: 129–131.Google Scholar
ANON, 22 May (1852). Advertisement for sale of Fitzroya patagonica plants. Gardeners' Chronicle 7: 129–131.Google Scholar
ANON, 28 May (1853). Advert for sale of Fitzroya patagonica by a nursery apart from Veitch. Gardeners' Chronicle 7: 129–131.Google Scholar
Bachmann, K. (1994). Molecular markers in plant ecology. New Phytologist 126: 403–418.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Balfour, F. R. S. (1932). The history of conifers in cultivation in Scotland and their discovery by Scotsmen. In: Conifers in Cultivation: the report of the conifer conference, November 1932. London, Royal Horticultural Society. 177–211.Google Scholar
BGCI (1996). Botanic Gardens in a Changing World. The Proceedings of the Third International Botanic Gardens Conservation Congress (Held at Rio de Janeiro on the 19th-25th October 1992), Christopher Hobson (ed.). Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Kew Road.Google Scholar
Chalmers, K. J., Newton, A. C, Waugh, R., Wilson, J. & Powell, W. (1994). Evaluation of the extent of genetic-variation in mahoganies (Meliaceae) using RAPD markers. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 89: 504–508.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chase, H. W., & Hills, H. H. (1991). Silica gel: an ideal material for field preservation of leaf samples for DNA studies. Taxon 40: 215–220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dallimore, W. (1932). William Lobb and John Jeffrey. Forestry 6: 5–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doyle, J. & O'Leary, M. (1934). Abnormal cones of Fitzroya and their bearing on the nature of the strobilus. The Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society 21 (3): 23–35.Google Scholar
Doyle, J. J., & Doyle, J. L. (1990). Isolation of plant DNA from fresh tissue. Focus 12: 13–15.Google Scholar
Elwes, H. J. & Henry, A. (1910). The trees of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol V. Edinburgh. 713–1000.Google Scholar
Farjon, A., Page, C. N. & Schellevis, N. (1993). A preliminary world list of threatened conifer taxa. Biodiversity and Conservation 2: 304–326.Google Scholar
Golte, W. (1996). Exploitation and conservation of Fitzroya cupressoides in southern Chile. In: Hunt, D. (ed.) Temperate Under Threat, proceedings of an IDS symposium on the conservation status of temperate trees, University of Bonn, 1994, pp. 133–150. Great Britain.Google Scholar
Hartmann, H. T. & Kester, D. E (eds). (1975). Plant Propagation, Principles and Practices, p. 186. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.Google Scholar
Keil, M. & Griffin, A. R. (1994). Use of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers in the discrimination and verification of genotypes in Eucalyptus. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 89: 442–450.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kresovich, S., Williams, J. G. K., Mcferson, J. R., Routman, E. J. & Schaal, B. A. (1992). Characterization of genetic identities and relationships of Brassica oleracea L. via a random amplified polymorphic DNA assay. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 85 (2-3): 190–196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lara, A. & Villalba, R. (1993). A 3620-year temperature record from alerce tree rings in southern South America. Science 260: 1104–1106.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lindley, J. (1851). Notices of certain ornamental plants lately introduced into England. The Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 6: 258–273.Google Scholar
Lynch, M. & Milligan, B. G. (1994). Analysis of population genetic structure with RAPD markers. Molecular Ecology 3: 91–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Millar, C. I. & Libby, W. J. (1991). Strategies for conserving clinal, ecotypic, and disjunct population diversity in widespread species. In: Falk, D. A. & Holsinger, K. E. (eds). Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants, pp. 149–170. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, A. (1972). Conifers in the British Isles. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Mitchell, A. (1994). Champion trees of the British Isles. Tech. Paper 7. Forestry Commission. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Napier, E. (ed.). (1972). Conifers in the British Isles. Proceedings of the third conifer conference arranged by the Royal Horticultural Society, London, October, 1970.Google Scholar
Penner, G. A., Bush, A., Wise, R., Kim, W., Domier, L., Kasha, K., Laroche, A., Scoles, G., Molnar, S. J. & Fedak, G. (1993). Reproducibility of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis among laboratories. PCR Methods and Applications. 2: 341–345.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rossetto, M., Weaver, P. K. & Dixon, K. W. (1995). Use of RAPD analysis in devising conservation strategies for the rare and endangered Grevillea scapigera (Proteaceae). Molecular Ecology 4: 321–329.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Russel, J. R., Hosein, F., Johnson, E., Waugh, R. & Powel, W. (1993). Genetic differentiation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) populations revealed by RAPD analysis. Molecular Ecology 2: 89–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaall, B. A., Leverich, W. J. & Rogstad, S. H. (1991). Comparison of methods for assessing genetic variation in plant conservation biology. In: Falk, D. A. & Holsinger, K. E. (eds.) Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants, pp. 123–134Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, P. (1996). The Fitzroya Project - can you help? Plantnet Newsletter 1 (3): 13.Google Scholar
Veitch, J. H. (1906). Hortus Veitchii. London: James Veitch & Sons Ltd.Google Scholar
Vicario, F., Vendramin, G. G., Rossi, P., Lio, P. & Giannini, R. (1995). Allozyme, chloroplast DNA and RAPD markers for determining genetic relationships between Abies alba and the relic population of Abies nebrodensis. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 90: 1012–1018.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Virk, P. S., Ford-Lloyd, B. V., Jackson, M. T. & Newbury, H. J. (1995). Use of RAPD for the study of diversity within plant germplasm collections. Heredity 74: 170–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, J. G. K., Kubelik, A. R., Livak, K. J., Rafalski, J. A. & Tingey, S. V. (1990). DNA polymorphisms amplified by arbitrary primers are useful as genetic markers. Nucleic Acids Research 18 (22): 6531–6536.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilks, W. & Weathers, J. (1892). Report of the conifer conference. Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 14: 481–568.Google Scholar
Wright, S. (1951). The genetical structure of populations. Annals of Eugenics 15: 323–354.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed