Differentiation of metallicolous and non-metallicolous Salix caprea populations based on phenotypic characteristics and nuclear microsatellite (SSR) markers

• Published in: Plant, cell and environment cell and environment, 2010-10, Vol.33 (10), p.1641-1655
• Main Authors: PUSCHENREITER, MARKUS, TÜRKTAŞ, MINE, SOMMER, PETER, WIESHAMMER, GERLINDE, LAAHA, GREGOR, WENZEL, WALTER W, HAUSER, MARIE-THERES
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Air Pollutants; Alleles; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; cadmium; Cadmium - metabolism; cross-genera transferability; DNA, Plant; Europe; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genetic diversity; genetic variation; Genetic Variation - drug effects; Genetics, Population; microsatellite; Microsatellite Repeats; Plant Leaves; Populus - drug effects; Populus - genetics; Populus - metabolism; Salicaceae; Salix - drug effects; Salix - genetics; Salix - metabolism; Salix caprea; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Soil and water pollution; soil contamination; Soil Pollutants; soil pollution; Soil science; zinc; Zinc - metabolism
• ISSN: 0140-7791; 1365-3040
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2010.02170.x

The Salicaceae family comprises a large number of high-biomass species with remarkable genetic variability and adaptation to ecological niches. Salix caprea survives in heavy metal contaminated areas, translocates and accumulates Zn/Cd in leaves. To reveal potential selective effects of long-term heavy metal contaminations on the genetic structure and Zn/Cd accumulation capacity, 170 S. caprea isolates of four metal-contaminated and three non-contaminated middle European sites were analysed with microsatellite markers using Wright's F statistics. The differentiation of populations North of the Alps are more pronounced compared to the Southern ones. By grouping the isolates based on their contamination status, a weak but significant differentiation was calculated between Northern metallicolous and non-metallicolous populations. To quantify if the contamination and genetic status of the populations correlate with Zn/Cd tolerance and the accumulation capacity, the S. caprea isolates were exposed to elevated Cd/Zn concentrations in perlite-based cultures. Consistent with the genetic data nested anova analyses for the physiological traits find a significant difference in the Cd accumulation capacity between the Northern and Southern populations. Our data suggest that natural populations are a profitable source to uncover genetic mechanisms of heavy metal accumulation and biomass production, traits that are essential for improving phytoextraction strategies.