Genetic Selection Analysis of Siberian and Sukachev’S Larches Introduced in Moscow and Moscow Region

Abstract

The question of taxonomic status of Sukachev's larch is still not understood to a full degree. There are arguments both in favor of separation of Siberian and Sukachev's larches into individual species, and in favor of association them into the one. The issues of great importance are the works on the introduction of larch trees in the center of the European part of Russia in order to increase the resource potential of forests in this region. The study of variability of Siberian and Sukachev's larches in the new climatic conditions, which take place during the introduction, can give interesting results important not only for discussion of their taxonomic rank, but for practical purposes of introduction. The paper presents comparative analysis of Siberian and Sukachev's larches according to their individual variability of morphological characteristics and molecular genetic analysis. The studies were carried out in the conditions of introduction in Moscow (Main Botanical Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin) and Moscow region (Ivanteevskiy Arboretum). The morphological features of cones, needles and seeds were studied: length and width of cones, number of scales in them, length of needles, length and width of seeds. The arithmetic mean values of characters, the error of the arithmetic mean values of characters and the coefficient of variation were counted. On the basis of the obtained results, significant differences in morphological characteristics of cones, seeds and needles are established, which gives reasons to distinguish Sukachev's larch as a geographical race; a subspecies of Siberian larch.