USING NUCLEAR AND ORGANELLE DNA MARKERS TO DISCRIMINATE AMONG PICEA-RUBENS, PICEA-MARIANA, AND THEIR HYBRIDS

The pattern of nuclear ribosomal alleles in controlled-cross black spr uce X red spruce hybrids was compared with that of samples from proven ance tests of the entire range of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and the eastern complex of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP). In ad dition, restriction fragment length polymorphisms were identified for the organelle genomes of red spruce and black spruce. Organelle haplot ypes were closely associated with species, but were not species specif ic. Data from controlled-cross hybrids suggest that mitochondria are m aternally inherited and chloroplasts are paternally inherited in these spruce species. Organelle markers were combined with restriction frag ment length polymorphism data from the nuclear rDNA repeat to derive a simple three-character index capable of identifying red spruce, black spruce, and hybrids of the two species.