Range of Hevea brasiliensis pollen dispersal estimated by esterase isozymemarkers

A study was carried out to estimate the distance Hevea brasiliensis pollen could be dispersed under natural conditions. Seeds were collected at varyin g distances from the boundary between two adjacent fields that were each pl anted with a pure stand of a genetic clone. Esterase isozyme markers were u sed to determine if the seeds had been derived from self- or cross-pollinat ion. The incidence of cross-pollination was then examined in relation to th e distance from the inter-clonal boundary. A logarithmic model gave the bes t fit (r(2) = 0.864) and suggested that pollen could travel distances in th e order of 0.3 to 1.1 km. (C) 1999 Annals of Botany Company.