The recovering of breeding achievements of Populus × leningradensis bogd. and Populus × newensis bogd. Based on microsatellite analysis

Abstract

The genotyping of 75 trees from poplar plantations in St. Petersburg and Leningrad oblast was conducted with microsatellite markers to identify the elite clonal varieties developed by P.L. Bogdanov in the period of 1938–1965. The information about the varieties was lost. The authentic herbarium specimens of poplar clonal varieties preserved at the St. Petersburg State Forest Technical University were used as reference genotypes. According to the results of DNA fingerprinting, we identified the clonal plantations of Populus × newesis Bogd. and Populus × leningradensis Bogd. from the Kartashevskii forest district and the arboretum of the St. Petersburg State Forest Technical University. The identified elite poplar hybrids have a higher frost resistant and a higher growth rate. They are recommended for plantation cultivation in the northwest of Russia.