The SAS proposals for participation in FP6 projects
are listed in blocks according to the FP6 priority theme structure



FP6 priority
1.1.6   Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems
Title of the proposal

Diversity of forest trees in sympatric zones across Europe

Institute
Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant enetics and Biotechnology,
Akademicka 2, P.O.Box 39A, SK-950 07 Nitra, Slovak Republic
nic.savba.sk/sav/inst/savnr/index.html
Contact
Name:
Andrej KORMUTAK, Dr., DrSc
Phone:
+421 37 7336659
E-mail:
nrgrkorm@savba.sk


Research subject for a potential FP6 project

The project aims at describing the variation of the putative hybrids Pinus sylvestris x P. mugo, Abies alba x A. cephalonica (Abies borisii-regis), Picea abies x P. obovata, Alnus glutinosa x A. incana and Quercus intermediate forms in zones of their occurrence across Europe. The hybrid nature of all the above forms will be verified using DNA molecular markers, namely RFLP analysis of both chloroplast and mitochondrial DNAs as well as nuclear and organellar microsatellite DNA. In the field of plant systematics such an approach represents the leading trend of the 21st century widely practised by the economically most advanced countries of the world. In order to cope with the objectives of the project, coordinated action of the foreign partners from Poland, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Russia and Germany is highly required covering geographically the respective zones of sympatry across Europe. The project is expected to contribute to a mapping of the forest tree diversity across Europe as well as to a better understanding of the genetic basis of somatic heterosis and increased tolerance of the hybrid forms of trees to the biotic and abiotic factors of the environment.


Recent international cooperation of the research team

Bundesforschungsanstalt fur Forst- und Holzwirtschaft, Institut fur Forstgenetik und Forstpflanzenzuchtung, Sieker Landstrasse 2, D-22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany


Proposerīs relevant publications related to the research subject

ZIEGENHAGEN, B., SCHAUERTE, M., KORMUTAK, A., SCHOLZ, F.: Plastid DNA polymorphism of megagametophytes and pollen in two Abies species. Silvae Genetica, 45, 1996, p. 355-358.
KORMUTAK, A., SZMIDT, A., WANG, X. R.: Restriction fragment length polymorphism of chloroplast DNAs in some species of firs (Abies sp.). Biologia Plantarum (Praha), 35, 1993, p. 113-119.
KORMUTAK, A., MATUSOVA, R., SZMIDT, A., LINDGREN, D.: Karyological, anatomical and restriction fragment length polymorphism characteristics of the interspecific hybrid Pinus banksiana x P. contorta. Biologia (Bratislava), 48, 1993, p. 95-100.