DNA Fingerprinting of Clones and Hybrids of American Elm and Other Elm Species with AFLP Markers

Abstract

The elms represent a diverse group of widely distributed temperate trees that are valued for forest products as well as landscape plants. Genetic diversity was examined among 43 Ulmus accessions, including 19 accessions of American elm and representatives of seven other species. Data from 135 markers from five AFLP primer pairs were used to estimate genetic similarity among accessions and to construct a UPGMA-derived dendrogram. While the species clusters were generally well-resolved, the relationships among clones and hybrids of American elm were less distinct. Our data provides some evidence to support the hybrid origin of two previously unverified U. parvifolia × U. americana clones, and provides evidence that the new clone N3487 (‘Jefferson’), an elm whose origin has been questioned, is an American elm.