INVESTIGATION OF VARIABILITY OF MORPHOLOGICAL MARKERS OF CONE AND SEEDS IN TREES OF NATURAL POPULATIONS OF SCOTS PINE IN RIVNE REGION

Abstract

Whole groups of scientists have done researches variability of populations
of Scots pine in different region of former Soviet Union. Natural populations of
Scots pine in Ukraine are under-investigated to the present day particularly as
regards natural population of pine of Ukraine Polissya.
Morphological markers of cone and seeds are original genotype of trees of
species of genus Pinus. These significant marks are used for evaluation of
interspecies variation of pines in natural area.
Goal of researches was evaluation of variability of morphological markers
of cone and seeds of natural populations of Scots pine in Rivne region, definition
of differentiation of study population on the basis of suite of metrics.
The object in this study was cones and seeds of trees of Scots pine from
five natural populations from most typical forest growth conditions А2, В4 and В3 in
Rivne region in the territory of Ukraine Polissya.
Test portions of cones and seeds had been taken from 16 to 62 trees of
Scots pine in dependence to cone crop.
For population analysis we used standard methods of observation
variability. We determined the following morphological traits: apophysis of
cones, colour cones, seeds and winged of seeds.
Investigation of variability of apophysis of cones in natural populations of
Scots pine in Rivne region was showed a large variety of morphological markers.
9 new forms of apophysis of cone: в7, в8, в9, в10, в11, в12, в13, в14 and в15, were
described.
The most common form of apophysis of cones in all investigated stands of
Rivne region was в4. 25,8% of explored trees had this apophys. 23,4% of
explored trees had form of apophys б3. Another forms of apophysis occur more
rarely than above mentioned: б2 – 8,3%, в9 – 6,3%, б – 5,4%, б1 – 4,8%.
As shown in results of investigations the natural populations of Scots pine
in Rivne region are characterized following distribution of trees after colour

cones, seeds and winged of seeds. The grey colour of cone prevail in 40,9%
investigated trees, brown colour of cone – in 35,1% and stone colour of cone –
in 24,0% investigated trees.
The black colour of seeds predominate in 61,6% investigated trees, brown
colour of seeds – in 22,4%, stone and gay colours – in 7,5% and grey colour of
seeds – in 1% investigated trees. The dark brown colour of winged of seeds
prevail in 41,8% investigated trees, brown colour of winged of seeds – in 39,8%,
light brown colour of winged of seeds – in 18,4% investigated trees.
The frequency distribution of different morphological forms of cone and
seeds considerably differed according to forest types of investigated of natural
populations of Scots pine.
CONCLUSION
Cluster analysis of complex of morphological markers of natural
populations of Scots pine was showed major difference between investigated
stands. The natural population differed according to forest types. The
distance of populations was bigger whereas they differentiated based on
moisture conditions and soil fertility. The distance of populations was less
whereas they differentiated based on only moisture conditions.

Variability, natural populations, Scots pine, morphological markers of
cone and seeds, apophysis of cone, percent of morphs, genetically
diversity, coefficient of variation.