Description of possible natural hybrids between Nothofagus pumilio and N. antarctica at South Patagonia (Argentina)

• Published in: Bosque (Valdivia)
• Main Authors: Burns, Sarah Lilian, Cellini, Juan Manuel, Lencinas, María Vanessa, Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José, Rivera, Stella Maris
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad Austral de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales. 2017
• Subjects: hibridación natural; Tierra del Fuego; morfometría foliar; mejoramiento genético; natural hybridization; leaf morphometry; genetic improvement; Argentina; Patagonia; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://revistas.uach.cl/index.php/bosque/article/view/511; https://doi.org/10.4067/S0717-92002010000100002

The Nothofagus genus includes about 35 native tree species of the Southern hemisphere. In Patagonia various natural hybrids among different species of the genus were found. The aim of this work was to describe and determine the presence of putative natural hybrids between N. pumilio and N. antarctica at South Patagonia, through the study of morphological leaf characteristics. Twenty possible hybrids (individuals with both parental species characteristics), 10 pure individuals of each of the two parental species, were studied. Material was collected in transition areas between N. pumilio and N. antarctica in Tierra del Fuego forests. Twenty leaves of each individual were selected through random sampling. Length, width, distance from the largest width to the base, shape, base, apex and petiole length of each leaf were measured. The leaves of the supposed hybrid differ from those of N. pumilio in their size, distance of the largest width to the base and base. Nothofagus antarctica leaves are different from the supposed hybrid in their border, size and distance of the largest width to the base and base. These results prove that the studied species hybridize naturally in transition areas. This hybridization capacity can be used in genetic improvement programs for the development of individuals with the best characteristics of each parental species. El género Nothofagus comprende alrededor de 35 especies nativas del Hemisferio Sur. En la Patagonia se han citado numerosos ejemplos de híbridos naturales entre varias especies de Nothofagus. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar y describir la evidencia de la existencia de posibles híbridos naturales entre Nothofagus pumilio y N. antarctica en Patagonia Sur, mediante el estudio de caracteres morfológicos foliares. Se trabajó con 20 posibles híbridos recolectados en una zona de transición entre bosques de N. pumilio y N. antarctica de Tierra del Fuego, y con individuos de N. pumilio y N. antarctica obtenidos de poblaciones puras cercanas a las anteriores. Por ...