Monitoring the Output of a Hybrid Larch Seed Orchard Using Isozyme Markers

A method was developed for estimating the frequency of hybrids in the seed crop of a multiclonal hybrid larch seed orchard using isozyme genetic markers. The technique was used to monitor the output of a commercial hybrid larch seed orchard. Among the seeds collected from European larch clones, some 65 per cent were hybrid, compared with 19 per cent from Japanese larch clones. Unequal reproductive effort and differences in flowering time between the two parental species may account for the results. Possible application of these techniques for the certification of seed and planting stock are discussed.