CHARACTERIZATION AND INHERITANCE OF POLYMORPHIC PLASTID MICROSATELLITES IN ABIES

Two polymorphic microsatellite loci were identified and sequenced in t he genus Abies, using primer pairs derived from chloroplast simple seq uence repeats (SSRs) of Pinus thunbergii. PCR products exhibited consi derable length variation among six different Abies species and within Abies alba. F-1 progeny of both an interspecific and an intraspecific reciprocal cross confirmed that the two SSRs were predominantly patern ally inherited. The maternal size variant predominantly occurred in th e megagametophytes analysed. First analysis of the two chloroplast mic rosatellites in seven natural populations of A. alba revealed 36 diffe rent haplotypes. The use of these highly polymorphic SSRs as potential markers in population genetics is discussed.