Genetic Structure and Interpopulation Differentiation of Eight Pinus sylvestris L. Populations in the Eastern European Plain

A study of the genetic structure and differentiation of eight populations of Pinus sylvestris L. on the Russian Plain showed that the populations of PsI and PsII (D=0.066) are located at the smallest genetic distance, and between the populations of PsI and PsIV (D=0.308) at the greatest genetic distance. On the dendrogram, the studied populations formed four clusters: PsI and PsII; PsIII and PsIV; PsV and PsVI; PsVII and PsVIII. Analysis of the genetic structure of eight populations of P. sylvestris showed that the expected proportion of heterozygous genotypes (HT) for the total sample was 0.320, the expected proportion of heterozygous genotypes in a single population for all loci (HS) was 0.170, therefore, the population subdivision (GST) was high and amounted to 0.468. The studied populations are highly differentiated, since the interpopulation component accounts for 46.8% of the genetic diversity. In all studied populations, the indicator h has values less than 0.3. An analysis of the fraction of rare alleles showed that the genetic structure is less balanced in the populations PsIII (h=0.254) and PsIV (h=0.273). The most balanced genetic structure in the populations of PsVII (h=0.112) and PsVIII (h=0.127). Data on the genetic structure and differentiation of the common pine populations should be taken into account when developing recommendations for preserving their gene pools.