Organisation of the variability of abundant proteins in seven geographical origins of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.).

The comparison of 42 two-dimensional protein patterns from megagametophytes of maritime pine from seven geographical origins enabled the analysis of the genetic variability of abundant proteins. More than 84% of the polypeptides were variable. The intra- and inter-origin variability levels were of a similar magnitude. Correspondence analysis and a dendrogram computed using a dissimilarity index between individuals showed three main groups. The first group included the individuals from Landes (France), Portugal, eastern Spain, and Corsica, without individualising the provenances. The second group was composed of accessions from Italy and Sardinia, and the individuals of each location were separated. The third group included all of the individuals of Moroccan origin. This clustering was in agreement with the Atlantic, Mediterranean and North African structuration of maritime pine established from terpene data.