Genetic Variability of Service Tree (Sorbus domestica L.) in the Hungarian Middle Mountains – Based on cpDNA Analysis in Two Regions

A genetic inventory was conducted at maternally inherited chloroplast DNA(cpDNA) gene loci of 196 adult service trees (S. domestica). The sampled trees representautochthonous collectives/populations originating from 2 distant regions, from contrastinghabitats, a forested area (eastern part of the Dunazug Mountains) and cultured habitats (ZemplénMountains), respectively.Strong intrapopulation variation was observed; percentages of molecular variance were: betweenregions 27%, among populations/regions 6%, within populations 67%. Considering all samples, themajor part of total diversity (ht = 0.752) was contributed by intrapopulation diversity (hs = 0.583).Species diversity was represented differently in individual populations. E.g. the populationKácsárd contains only one haplotype: the doubtless sign of local human cultivation. The populationBuda Hills has an average differentiation considering the whole sampled material but the highest whenevaluating the region north from Budapest separately. That points to the dispersion after anintroduction event, probably parallel to adaptive radiation under selection influence.In the study genetically polymorphic populations containing unique haplotypes weredetected, providing important information for forest management, gene conservation andnature protection activities. The described work is part of ex situ gene conservation projects ofthe species in Hungary.