Genetic diversity analysis of a breeding population of Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell. (Myrtaceae) and extraction of a core germplasm collection using microsatellite markers

Abstract Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell. (Gympie messmate) is an important tree species providing raw materials for many industrial products. In this study, twelve microsatellite markers were used to assess the genetic diversity of a breeding population of Gympie messmate and extract a core germplasm collection. Relatively high genetic diversity was found for the breeding population, with number of alleles per marker (Na), observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He), and Shannon’s information index (I) averaging at 10.5, 0.432, 0.682, and 0.673, respectively. Two sub-populations were identified, indicating weak genetic structure. A core collection composed of 247 individuals (35 % of the 707 trees of the whole breeding population) was extracted thereafter, of which diversity parameters differed non-significantly from the breeding population. These results would have implications for germplasm management and genomics studies in Gympie messmate as well as for core collection establishment in other wood-producing hardwood species.