INHERITANCE OF ISOZYMES IN SALIX ERIOCEPHALA MICHX

We conducted studies of genetic determinism in Salix eriocephala, a wi llow species potentially important in short rotation intensive culture plantations. Using starch gel electrophoresis, we assayed for biochem ical variation of 26 enzyme systems in the parental clones and full-si b families of a 2 x 2 balanced factorial design. Results suggested tha t multilocus systems encode 14 of the studied enzymes, whereas 12 enzy mes are under single gene control. A total of 47 loci was revealed. Di somic inheritance, Mendelian genetic control, and codominant allelic e xpression were found for 11 loci. Segregation distortion was detected in Acp-2. Some evidence for intergenic heterodimers was present in IDH and possibly 6PGD. Results on the gene numbers per enzyme system were similar to those from other angiosperms. The genetic markers that wer e established in this research can be applied readily to large scale g enetic analysis in willows.