Genetic diversity of Pinus halepensis Mill. populations detected by RAPD loci

Genetic diversity of Pinus halepensis Mill. was analysed in nine population s (six Spanish populations and one each from Tunisia, France and Greece). T wenty four RAPD loci were amplified with 60 megagametophyte DNA samples fro m each population. Populations' contribution to Nei gene diversity and to a llelic richness were calculated. Results showed higher within population ge netic variation but also a G(ST) = 13.6% higher than those detected in prev ious studies with different nuclear markers. The results obtained suggests that RAPD markers are valuable for the estimation of genetic diversity in P . halepensis and for the study of the divergence among population, allowing to think that eastern Mediterranean populations of P. halepensis have unde rgone a different history from those of the western Mediterranean area.