Patterns of genetic variation in Pinus chiapensis, a threatened Mexican pine, detected by RAPD and mitochondrial DNA RFLP markers.

Pinus chiapensis (Pinaceae) is a large conifer, endemic to central and southern Mexico and north-western Guatemala. In order to assess the extent of genetic variation within and between populations of this species, samples were obtained from throughout the natural range and analysed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and mtDNA RFLPs markers. Probes for the CoxI mitochondrial gene enabled two mitotypes to be observed. Populations from the eastern and western limit of the range of the species were fixed for one mitotype ('A'), whereas two populations distributed near the centre of the range were fixed for another ('B'). When the samples were screened with eight 10-mer RAPD primers, a total of 12 polymorphic bands were detected. The proportion of polymorphic bands was unusually low (24.5%) compared with other tree species. AMOVA analysis indicated that a significant proportion of the variation (P < 0.002) was distributed between populations; the extent of population differentiation detected (Phi(st) = 0.226; G(ST ) = 0.194) was exceptionally high for a pine species. Pair-wise comparison of Phi(st) values derived from AMOVA indicated that populations were significantly (P < 0.05) different from each other in virtually every case. These results are interpreted in the context of the evolutionary history of the species, and the implications for its in- and ex situ conservation are discussed.

In vitro regeneration of plantlets from mature embryos of Pinus ayacahuite.

A plantlet regeneration protocol was developed for Pinus ayacahuite var. ayacahuite (Ehrenb.). Embryos from mature seeds from ten provenances were cultured in a 16-h photoperiod for 3 days on a medium containing 30 mM sucrose and 0.7% agar. Cotyledons from these embryos were subcultured onto MCM medium (Bornman 1983) supplemented with 50 micro M N(6)-benzyladenine and 90 mM sucrose for 2 weeks. Bud development and shoot elongation were maximized by subculturing the explants on half strength AE medium (von Arnold and Ericksson 1981), supplemented with 60 mM sucrose and 0.05% activated charcoal every 30 days. Seed source had a significant effect on the responses of the embryos to the bud induction protocol. For the provenance with the best response to bud induction, about 79% of the cultured cotyledons formed buds, and each cotyledon formed a mean of 9.1 buds, so that about 70 shoots could be induced from each seed. The best rooting response (40% rooting) was obtained by treating the shoots for 8 h with 100 micro M naphthalene acetic acid.