Comparison of genetic diversity of dieback and healthy Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L. Var. horizontalis) at different altitudes using seed storage proteins

Proteins as direct products of genes are considered as the appropriate markers to assess genetic diversity and to identify resistant individuals. For investigation of Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) seed storage protein based on quality activities by using SDS-PAGE method، 40 samples were taken on dried and healthy trees on two altitude classes. Results showed that weight of molecular bands on electrophoretic pattern of protein bands were between 18 and 125 KDa. Results of clustering and discriminant analysis also showed that trees from the two altitude classes could be distinguished by protein bands، but trees with different dried degrees could not be distinguished. Genetic diversity indices such as Shannon index and Nei، polymorphism percentage، showed trees with low and high dried degrees had the highest and lowest degree of the indices، respectively. Also trees from high altitudes had higher genetic diversity than trees from low altitudes. Diversity within the populations in the two altitude classes was more than variation between the populations. Also Genetic variation among altitudes in different populations (FST) was equal to 0. 42. Therefore، results implied that Cypress trees in the studied region contain high genetic diversity، especially at high altitude. Also we could not distinguish dried and healthy trees by using seed storage protein.