Variability and genetic structure in fragments of Eugenia involucrata De Candolle established through microsatellite markers

Abstract

ABSCTRACT: Eugenia involucrata DC. is a forest species with high environmental and economic potential. The objective of this study was to quantify the genetic variability and analyzed the genetic structure of three natural fragments located in the central region of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. We used four microsatellite loci developed for the congener species Eugenia uniflora and using GenAlEx 6.5 software, parameters of genetic variability and its partition among and within fragments were estimated for each locus. We observed high levels of genetic variability (3.67 alleles per locus; HO = 0.815; HE = 0.625; FIS = −0.294), most of which (93%) were distributed within the fragments, suggesting that these individuals came from a single original population. Gene flow between fragments was high (2.35 to 4.56 migrants per generation), resulting in low genetic differentiation indexes (FST values ranging from 0.052 to 0.096). The fragments showed high genetic variability, distributed within the remnants themselves, and low genetic differentiation. Our results have repercussions for planning locally adapted germplasm collections for forest restoration programs, thereby avoiding the implantation of populations with an exogamous depression.

Vegetative multiplication of the Atlantic Rainforest species Eugenia involucrata

“…In the present work, the lower rates of E. involucrata rooting can be associated more to the large variability in its population than to the IBA dose applications (Stefanel et al, 2021b), which may lead to different results along the years'…”

Microsatellites are important for forest genetic resources conservation in Brazilian biomes

“…A set of microsatellites used to analyze the variability and genetic structure in Eugenia involucrata fragments revealed high levels of genetic variability (3.67 alleles per locus; H O = 0.815; H E = 0.625), most of which (93 %) was distributed within the fragments (Stefanel et al 2021). Silva et al (2021) studied the genetic variability of three Luehea divaricata natural fragments and observed high genetic variability, most of which (77 %) distributed within fragments, high gene flow (Nm= 3.853) and low genetic differentiation (F ST = 0.072).…”