An investigation on applicability of isozyme band patterns for identification of poplar clones

This paper describes the applicability of the isozyme band patterns produced by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis for identification of clones belong to genus Populus. For isozyme analysis, one to two-weeks-old leaf tissues of the clones were subjected to horizontal starch gel electrophoresis and the resulting gels were stained with four enzyme systems. The band patterns of the variable enzyme systems were characterized by using densitometer and all the distinct band patterns(gel phenotypes) were numbered. One hundred and fifteen clones out of 119 clones could be identified based on their particular band patterns of the four enzyme systems. However, the isozyme band patterns of MDH was changed every week after two weeks from leaf flushing as leaves expand and mature indicating that reproducibility of clone specific gel phenotypes for MDH is limited in a very short period of a developmental stage. Thus, using isozyme band patterns for identification and registration of poplar clones requires careful selection of either enzyme systems that would produce stable isozyme band patterns throughout developmental stages and environmental conditions or sample collection time in a specific developmental stage.