A genetic assessment of seed production areas (SPAs) for restoration

Abstract

The conservation and restoration of degraded landscapes continues to be a major activity with the demand for seed increasing to meet growing global targets. Seed collected from natural plant populations is often irregular and unpredictable, limiting the diversity of species that can be conserved through restoration programs and the area that can be restored. Seed production areas (SPAs; seed orchards, seed increase) are one option for improving seed supply and quality to meet the demand from conservation and restoration programs. We evaluated genetic diversity, inbreeding and mating system parameters in adults and seed from remnants and SPAs of Acacia montana and Dodonaea viscosa subsp. cuneata, two key restoration species in south-eastern Australia. Overall, we found no significant differences in genetic diversity between remnants and SPAs of both species or between adult and seed cohorts. In contrast, we found significant inbreeding in many remnants and their seed crops suggesting that some inbred seed were used to establish these SPAs. We also found significant inbreeding in some SPAs and their seed crops and that SPAs were often biased towards one to two source remnants. Additional germplasm is now required to broaden the representativeness of remnants in the SPAs and the genetic base of seed being produced for restoration programs.