Identification of native and hybrid elms in Spain using isozyme gene markers

Abstract

Two elm taxa occur naturally in the Iberian Peninsula: the Field elm (Ulmus minor) and the Wych elm (U. glabra). In addition, a third taxon, the foreign Siberian elm (U. pumila), was probably introduced in the 16th century as an ornamental tree and has spread spontaneously throughout the Peninsula. The natural hybridization between U. minor and U. pumila produced new individuals whose morphological traits appear to be mixed. Ulmus pumila, as well as its hybrids, has a high resistance to Dutch elm disease (DED). For this reason, it is commonly used in breeding programmes. Extensive hybridization and the high mortality produced by the last DED epidemic have endangered the conservation of the native elm. In this study, isozyme analyses are used to characterize the taxa U. minor and U. pumila. Siberian elms from Spain and China are compared with the native U. minor. Siberian elm produces isozyme patterns that completely dierentiate it from U. minor. Three loci are completely dierent between the species: 6Pgd2, Mdh1 and Prx2. Isozyme markers can also be used to distinguish native elms from the hybrids that have evolved for generations.

Alive and kicking, or, living on borrowed time? – Microsatellite diversity in natural populations of the endangered Ulmus minor Mill. sensu latissimo from Croatia

“…The presented results are congruent with those obtained by studies of allozymes (Machon et al 1997), isozymes (Machon et al 1995, Cogolludo et al 2000, RAPDs and ISSRs (Coleman et al 2000, Goodall-Copestake et al 2005 and SSRs (Fuentes-Utrilla et al 2014). Although studies of the fi eld elm on the European level suggest a high degree of intrapopulation genetic diversity, they also suggest conclusions concerning the small genetic differentiation between populations belonging to different geographic regions.…”

“…Therefore, in recent studies, "a popu-lation" consists of set of trees, originating from the same geographic region and the researched samples include a mixture of trees derived from clonal plantations, ex situ collections as well as DED tolerant clones and trees from parks and hedges (Machon et al 1997, Cogolludo-Agustín et al 2000. Hence, the heterogeneity of sampled material is extremely great and yet the genetic diversity and structure of natural elm populations remains unknown.…”

“…As microsatellite markers for the fi eld elm were not developed until 2004, most of the research on genetic diversity to date has been conducted using isozymes (Machon et al 1995, Cogolludo-Agustín et al 2000, allozymes (Machon et al 1997), RAPD technique and ISSRs (Coleman et al 2000, Goodall-Copestake et al 2005) and cpDNA PCR-RFLP markers (Collin et al 2004). Microsatellites found their application in the resolving of the taxonomic status of U. procera Salisb. )…”

Historical, ecological, taxonomic and health characterization of the relict elm stand of Rivas-Vaciamadrid (Madrid)

“…Los resultados fueron comparados con los obtenidos por Cogolludo et al (2000) en dos poblaciones de U. minor (Madridejos, Toledo, y Casa de Campo, Madrid), y en el banco clonal de olmos del Centro Nacional de Mejora Genética Forestal Puerta de Hierro, Madrid. La población de Rivas-Vaciamadrid se sitúa claramente separada de las otras poblaciones estudiadas (Fig.…”

Germination performance of native and non-native Ulmus pumila populations

“…Furthermore, it is commonly used in elm breeding programs due to its high tolerance to the Dutch elm disease (Smalley andGuries 2000, Mittempergher andSantini 2004). Today, U. pumila is considered as naturalized or even invasive in 43 states of the U.S., as well as in Canada (Kartesz 2011, USDA andNRCS 2011), Mexico (Todzia and Panero 1998), Argentina (Mazia et al 2001, Zalba andVillamil 2002), Spain (Cogolludo-Agustín et al 2000), the European part of Russia, Estonia and Australia (NOBANIS 2012). Webb (1948) reported that different Chinese origins of the Siberian elm are characterized by differing frost hardiness.…”