The use of molecular markers in the improvement of conifer tree species

Abstract

The paper reviews the study results of the use of molecular markers in coniferous tree species improvement. The results are based on presentation of the experience in the application of biochemical and molecular analyses at the level of the selected populations and individuals from different provenances of coniferous tree species. Many studies performed during the last years demonstrated the usefulness of neutral molecular markers in the field of conservation and population genetics of conifers, in particular to understand the importance of migration patterns in shaping current genetic and geographic diversity and to measure important parameters such as effective population size, past bottlenecks and gene flow. This is relevant to design conservation strategies but is of little value to understand the adaptability patterns. In the specific field of the conservation genetics, molecular markers can be extremely useful in both ex situ and in situ gene pool conservation of coniferous trees.