DNA ploidy levels and intraspecific DNA content variability in Romanian fescues (Festuca, Poaceae) measured in fresh and herbarium material

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Authors

ŠMARDA Petr

Year of publication 2006
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Folia Geobotanica
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
Field Botany
Keywords Balkan Peninsula; Festuca ovina group; Festuca valesiaca group; Festuca sect. Eskia; Flow cytometry; Intraspecific genome size variability; Polyploidy
Description DNA ploidy level estimates of 11 species and two natural hybrids of Festuca sampled from 39 locations in Romania are presented. Altogether, 48 living samples (of which 22 one-year-old herbarium specimens were available), and additional 65 one-year-old herbarium specimens were analysed using flow cytometry with DAPI staining. The following DNA ploidy levels were assessed: F. callieri (4x), F. ovina (2x), F. pallens (2x), F. polesica (2x), F. pseudodalmatica (2x, 4x, 5x), F. pseudovaginata (2x), F. pseudovina (2x), F. pseudovina x F. rupicola (4x), F. rupicola (6x), F. vaginata (2x), F. vaginata x F. valesiaca (2x), F. valesiaca (2x) and F. xanthina (2x). Festuca pseudovaginata is reported for the flora of Romania for the first time. Measurements of one-year-old herbarium specimens produced significantly smaller sample/standard ratios (P<0.001) and higher coefficients of variance (P<0.001) when compared with fresh plant samples. Several species exhibited marked intraspecific DNA content variability, documented by non-overlapping double-peaks or bimodal peaks in simultaneous measurements. Maximum difference of about 9.2% in relative DNA content was observed in F. pallens, 5.5% in F. polesica, 4.2% in F. vaginata, and 3.8% in F. rupicola. Diploid F. xanhina (Festuca sect. Eskia Willk.) had 1.39–1.58 times higher monoploid relative DNA content in relation to the species of section Festuca.
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