ISOZYME ANALYSIS OF <em>POPULUS</em> <em>DELTOIDES</em> AND A HYBRID POPLAR FOR THE EVALUATION OF GENETIC STABILITY IN THE CULTURE REGENERATED PLANTS

Abstract

Seventy-seven culture regenerated plantlets of two industrially important accessions of Populus species, viz. P. deltoides (clone D121) and a hybrid poplar (P. deltoides × P. nigra cv. 'Chile', clone 65/27), were analysed and compared with the respective donor explants using isozyme profiles to obtain a better insight into genetic stability of the culture raised plantlets. Thirteen putative isozyme loci of acid phosphatase, diaphorase, phosphoglucose mutase and Superoxide dismutase were scored. According to the data, the leaf raised plants of both the clones maintained their clonal fidelity, whereas the plants raised from petiole explants showed genetic variation suggesting leaf explants would be a better choice over petiole explants for micropropagation of Populus.