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.