Genetic Diversity of Lowbush Blueberry throughout the United States in Managed and Non-Managed Populations

Lee Beers, Lisa J. Rowland and Francis Drummond
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Lee Beers: College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Trumbull County, Cortland, OH 44410, USA
Lisa J. Rowland: Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory, Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
Francis Drummond: School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA

Agriculture, 2019, vol. 9, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: Expressed sequenced tagged-polymerase chain reaction (EST-PCR) molecular markers were used to evaluate the genetic diversity of lowbush blueberry across its geographic range and to compare diversity among four paired managed/non-managed populations. Seventeen populations were sampled in a north–south transect throughout the eastern United States with 27 km to 1600 km separating populations. The majority of genetic variation was found within populations (75%) with each population genetically unique ( p ≤ 0.0001) with the exception of the Jonesboro, ME, and Lubec, ME, populations. The effects of management for commercial fruit harvesting on genetic diversity were investigated in four locations in Maine with paired managed and non-managed populations. Significant differences were found between the populations indicating that commercial management for fruit production influences the diversity of lowbush blueberries in the landscape, even though planting does not occur. Forests are harvested and the existing understory blueberry plants become established.

Keywords: EST-PCR; Vaccinium angustifolium; geographic range; domestication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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