Effectiveness of neutral RAPD markers to detect genetic divergence between the subspecies uncinata and mugo of Pinus mugo Turra

Fifteen populations of Pinus mugo subsp. mugo (shrub) and Pinus mugo subsp. uncinata (erect), located in the Alps, were investigated through genetic variation scored at 64 polymorphic RAPD loci. In addition, morphological traits of the female cones were analysed. According to AMOVA most of the genetic variation was found within populations (83.39%), and only 1.25% of it between subspecies. Populations differed in terms of their internal genetic variation, with Nei’s gene diversity ranging from 0.227 to 0.397. Morphological data showed differences between subspecies, although none of the populations showed full accordance with expectations. Significant correlation was found between matrices for geographical and morphological distances, while genetic distances were not correlated with any other aspect. The efficacy of morphological and RAPD markers in discriminating between subspecies, and the contribution of the results in relation to the preservation of biodiversity, are discussed.