XVI International Botanical Congess

An analysis of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) polymorphism was carried out on Populus tremula natural populations from Italy. The samples (leaves and buds) were collected in ten different areas: four in the north, three in the centre and three in the south of the country. The study involved six individuals from each population. Chloroplast DNA fragments were amplified by PCR using 5 pairs of 'universal primers', which amplify non-coding cpDNA regions. Amplified fragments were digested by 2 to 4 restriction enzymes and the resulting restriction fragments were separated by gel electrophoresis, in order to detect mutations affecting restriction site recognition and restriction fragment length. A high degree of cpDNA variability was observed not only among different populations but also within the populations.