GENETIC DIVERSITY AND PARENTAGE ANALYSIS FOR DNA MARKER-BASED FOREST REPRODUCTIVE MATERIAL TRACEABILITY SYSTEM IN LITHUANIA

Abstract

Scots pine is economically and ecologically important forest tree species in Lithuania. According to the Regulation of Forest Planting and Restoration of Lithuania (2018) and the Regulations on Forest Reproductive Material (FRM) (2017) forests must be planted and replanted with the target tree species, using high quality seeds and seedlings from a given provenance. EU Council Directive (1999/105/EC) indicates that EU Member States are responsible for the regulation, requirements and implementation of FRM quality and traceability system. The existing FRM control system in Lithuania is based on the control actions of the supporting documents regarding the origin of FRM. However, this FRM traceability system is limited and, in some cases, cannot ensure that FRM used for reforestation/afforestation originates from the declared place of origin or belongs to a certain seed or plant lot. In this study we aimed to assess and compare genetic diversity of scots pine seed orchard clones with seeds, and to test DNA based parentage analysis methods with Jonava scots pine seed orchard clones and seeds. Up to now DNA markers based FRM traceability system in Lithuania has not been tested and implemented. Thus, our first results based on 12 nuclear microsatellite markers indicated that genetic diversity among Jonava seed orchard clones and collected seeds were moderately high and comparable with other studies on scots pine in Europe. The test of the maternity analysis software CERVUS has showed very positive results in maternity assignments. Therefore, selected microsatellite markers in combination with accurate sampling design and specific DNA analysis methods should be improved and can be used for FRM traceability system based on DNA “fingerprints”.