Genetic diversity in red pine: evidence for low genic heterozygosity

Starch gel electrophoresis was used to survey for genetically determined enzyme mobility differences among 297 megagametophytes of red pine (Pinusresinosa Ait.) from five widely separated geographical sources. Consistent and reproducible enzyme banding patterns were observed with five of the seven isozyme systems assayed. No variation in band mobility was observed in any of these systems. This result stands in contrast with those reported from surveys of allozyme variation in other coniferous species but is consistent with the low degree of genetic variation observed in red pine for higher levels of genetic organization. It is concluded that red pine is genetically depauperate.Possible explanations for restricted genetic diversity are discussed. The most plausible explanation suggests that red pine was at sometime, possibly during the Pleistocene, reduced to a small refugial population and has yet to reestablish equilibrium heterozygosity.