Fertility Variation in Clonal Seed Orchards and Their Base Populations of Black Pine

Abstract

Fertility variation and linkage parameters (i.e., effective population size, gene diversity) were estimated in three clonal seed orchards and their origins meant base population depending on strobilus production to contribute selection, establishment and management of seed sources in Anatolian black pine [Pinus nigra Arnold. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe] for three consecutive years (2022, 2023 and 2024). The strobili productions of base populations were higher than their own seed orchards. Female and male strobili productions were significantly (p < 0.05) different among populations and years, and among clones within year according to results of analysis of variance. The gametic (female and male fertility variations) and zygotic/total fertility variations were acceptable level for the years and populations. Fertility variation among individuals were lower in good crop years than in poor year. Loss of gene diversity was less than 0.003 between base populations and their own seed orchards. Three years results of the study indicated that the strobili traits were reflected well to seed orchards by their base populations based on estimated fertility variation and linkage parameters.