Contributo #c09/183
Villani F, Mattioni C, Olimpieri I, Cherubini M, Malvolti ME, Chiocchini F, Proietti S,
Moscatello S, Paris P, Battistelli A
GENETIC VARIATION OF ALNUS CORDATA AND ALNUS GLUTINOSA
POPULATIONS FROM SOUTHERN ITALY: EVIDENCE OF INTERSPECIFIC
HYBRIDIZATION
Abstract
The genus Alnus Mill. (Betulaceae) comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs distributed
throughout the northern temperate zone. Species of Alnus were long thought of as forest weeds; however
since the emergence of industrial interest for Alnus, particularly for low input agroforestry and short-rotation
systems for biomass production, an increasing attention has been paid to its ecology, management and genetic
improvement (Xie 2008). In addition Alnus is particularly noted for its important symbiotic relationship with
Frankia alni, an actinomycete, nitrogen-fixing bacterium, present in root nodules. Therefore, beyond wood
products and biomass uses, species of Alnus play an important role in ecosystem development by securing
unstable surfaces and participate in the first stage of plant succession on both wet and poor land soils in forests
(Meinartowicz 2007) and promote growth of other plants by adding nitrogen into the soil (Klemmedson
1979). Among the Alnus species A. glutinosa and A. cordata are native to Europe, being the first one widely
distributed across most of the European region, the second one only present in southern Italy and Corsica.
These species are the only one present in southern Italy. Studies on intraspecific genetic variation are reported
for A. glutinosa but not for A. cordata. Furthermore, the existence of interspecific hybrids are well
documented between A. glutinosa and other species, but no information is available between A. glutinosa and
A. cordata. The aim of our study was to assess the genetic variation of A. cordata and A. glutinosa across the
distribution range of A. cordata in southern Italy and to verify possible introgression between the two species.
Leaves from an average of 25 trees were sampled from each of 16 populations from Campania, Basilicata and
Calabria regions. A total of 7 SSRs, developed in A. glutinosa (Lepais & Bacles 2011, Stacey et al. 2009),
were used for the analysis. A PCR multiplex was performed and the samples were run on the Sequencer ABI
3130. The obtained data were analyzed using NEWHYBRIDS 1.1beta, STRUCTURE 2.3 and GENEALEX
6.3 software. The results demonstrate the existence of: 8 pure A. cordata populations; 5 mixed A. cordata and
A. glutinosa populations; 2 pure A. glutinosa populations. Within the mixed populations, natural hybrids
between the A. cordata and A. glutinosa were observed with the exception of one population from Calabria
where no hybrids were detected. Nature of the identified hybrids (F1, F2, backcross) was assessed. Finally
intra and interspecific genetic diversity and differentiation among A. cordata and A. glutinosa populations
were estimated. The obtained results can contribute to: understand the evolutionary biology and mating
system of the two species; study the adaptive potential of the detected interspecific hybrids for industrial as
well as ecological purposes; to propose innovative breeding programs. The study was supported by “PON
Ricerca e Competitività Progetto PON01_01966 ENERBIOCHEM”.
Keywords
Alnus cordata, Alnus glutinosa, Genetic Variation, Hybridization, Microsatellites
Citazione: Villani F, Mattioni C, Olimpieri I, Cherubini M, Malvolti ME, Chiocchini F, Proietti S, Moscatello
S, Paris P, Battistelli A (2013). Genetic variation of Alnus cordata and Alnus glutinosa populations from
Southern Italy: evidence of interspecific hybridization. In: Proceedings of the 9th SISEF National Congress
“Multifunzionalità degli Ecosistemi Forestali: Sfide e Opportunità per la Ricerca e lo Sviluppo” (Tonon G,
Ventura M, Bucci G eds). Bolzano (Italy) 16-19 Sep 2013. Abstract-book, Paper #c9.4.5. [online] URL:
http://www.sisef.it/sisef/congresso-ix/
Collocazione Congressuale
Collocazione
c9.4.5
Sessione
Sessione parallela 2 / Parallel session 2
Data
Martedi 17 Settembre 2013
Ora
11:30-12:45
Luogo
Aula D102
Info Autori
(*): speaker
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Fiorella Villani*
(fiorella.villani@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Claudia Mattioni
(claudia.mattioni@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Irene Olimpieri
(irene.olimpieri@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Marcello Cherubini
(marcello.cherubini@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Maria Emilia Malvolti
(mariaemilia.malvolti@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Francesca Chiocchini
(francesca.chiocchini@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Simona Proietti
(simona.proietti@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Stefano Moscatello
(stefano.moscatello@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Piero Paris
(piero.paris@ibaf.cnr.it)
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Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)
Alberto Battistelli
(alberto.battistelli@ibaf.cnr.it)
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, v. G. Marconi 2
Porano (TR) (Italy)