INHERITANCE OF ISOZYMES IN SALIX ERIOCEPHALA MICHX

We conducted studies of genetic determinism in Salix eriocephala, a willow species potentially important in short rotation intensive culture plantations. Using starch gel electrophoresis, we assayed for biochemical variation of 26 enzyme systems in the parental clones and full-sib families of a 2 x 2 balanced factorial design. Results suggested that multilocus systems encode 14 of the studied enzymes, whereas 12 enzymes are under single gene control. A total of 47 loci was revealed. Disomic inheritance, Mendelian genetic control, and codominant allelic expression were found for 11 loci. Segregation distortion was detected in Acp-2. Some evidence for intergenic heterodimers was present in IDH and possibly 6PGD. Results on the gene numbers per enzyme system were similar to those from other angiosperms. The genetic markers that were established in this research can be applied readily to large scale genetic analysis in willows.