Sex expression in Serbian dendroflora: A case study of Fraxinus ornus var. angustifolia

Abstract

Out of a total number of tree species in Serbian flora, 28% are hermaphrodites, 43% are monoecious and 29% are dioecious. The dendroflora appears to have a larger proportion of unisexual than hermaphrodite species. The monoecious system is the dominant unisexual system within the tree species in Serbia. The possible sex differentiation by RAPD markers and Correspondence Analysis was examined in a population of Fraxinus ornus var. angustifolia. On the basis of 6 selected RAPD bands which contribute to the differentiation in frequency between male and hermaphrodite individuals, Correspondence Analysis visualized the following tendency: 20 trees of each variety were separated into two groups that mainly correspond to sexual types. Our results showed that RAPD markers assisted by Correspondence Analysis could be used in identifying male and hermaphrodite individuals in F. ornus varieties.