INVESTIGATIONS ON THE GENETIC-VARIATION O F BEECH (FAGUS-SYLVATICA L.) IN THURINGIA

Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is one of the most important tree species i n Thuringia, comprising 18.7% of the tree species composition. For a s uccessful and efficient propagation of this species ( to be included i n the forest restructuring program in Thuringia) and also for in-situ and ex-situ gene conservation knowledge about the genetic variation is important. Using isozyme analysis the genetic variation of beech in T huringia was evaluated. Beech nuts from 14 stands were analyzed. For 1 6 polymorphic gene loci allele frequencies are presented. Values of ge netic multiplicity, diversity, heterozygosity and differentiation are given. The mean number of alleles per locus varied from 2.38 to 2.69, the gene pool diversity from 1.32 to 1.37. The genetic variation withi n sands is quite large, the variation between stands is low (mean valu e of 4.7%). Only 1 stand (Sonneberg) differentiated significantly from the rest. The extent of the genetic variation within and between the beech stands in Thuringia is comparable to that found in other areas o f central Europe, but the differences between stands are lower than th at found in most other studies. The application of these findings for the silvicultural treatment of beech is discussed.