Microsatellite analysis of the regeneration process of Magnolia obovata Thunb.

We analysed the regeneration process of Magnolia obovata using polymorphic microsatellite markers. Eighty-three adult trees standing in a watershed covering an area of 69 ha, and saplings collected from a smaller research plot (6 ha) located at the centre of the watershed were genotyped using microsatellite markers. Among 91 saplings analysed, 24 (26%) had both parents, 31 (34%) had one parent and 36 (40%) had no parent within the watershed. The proportion of genes in saplings inherited from the adults within the watershed was 43%, and therefore 57% were from outside the site, indicating active gene exchange across the watershed area. Average distance between parents and saplings (264.6 +/- 135.3 (SD) m) was significantly smaller than that of pairs randomly chosen between adults and saplings (436.7 +/- 203.0 (SD) m). The distance of pollen movement inferred from the distance between the two parents of each sapling ranged from 3.2 m to 540 m with an average of 131.1 m +/- 121.1 m (SD). Because 34% ( = 31/91) of saplings had only one parent within the watershed, the estimate of average pollen movement must be smaller than the actual one. Long-distance seed dispersal by birds, inbreeding depression and limitation in acceptance of pollen because of the difference of phenology in each individual flower were considered to be the probable causes of large gene exchange across the watershed.