GENETIC STRUCTURE OF FOUR KAZDAGI FIR (ABIES EQUITROJANIASCHERSON ET SINTEN) POPULATIONS IN KAZDAGI, TURKEYAS ASSESSED BY ADAPTIVE SEEDLING TRAITS

摘要

To investigate the magnitude and pattern of genetic variation in adaptive seedling traits, seedlings of 126 families from four natural populations of Kazdagi-fir Abies equitrojani from Kazdagi in Turkey were raised in nursery environments and evaluated for 12 adaptive traits including growth and phenological traits.Significant population and family within population differences were observed for the most studied traits. Although the components of total variation attributable to the families within populations were greater than that of populations, variance components due to populations range: 0-5.7 % and families within populations range: 0-20.7 % were low. Estimated family heritabilities were generally low and did not exceed 0.51 for SURV, but magnitude of family heritabilities for growth traits suggests range: 0.17-0.20 that considerable genetic improvement could be achieved if early selection is practiced.Genetic and phenotypic correlations between adaptive traits were in the same direction in sign, but genetic correlations were higher tjxfh phenotypic correlations. The families with higher cotyledon number had more growth, in turn, larger seedling size after the first two growing seasons indicating maternal effects. The families with later budset and bud burst dates had less growth in the second growing season.Two major Gene Management Zones GMZ for Kazdagi fir were suggested for in situ conservationprogram; Giirgendag population as a large-core reserve and Can population as the second one being isolated, genetically less similar to others and having high genetic varaition in adaptive seedling traits.