Allele polymorphism of Nad1 gene of the Serbian spruce mitochondrial genome

Serbian spruce (Picea omorika /Panč./Purkyne), as the Balkan Peninsula endemic and the Tertiary relic, is a species whose survival is threatened by the constant restriction of its range caused by the global changes of environmental conditions and the adverse human impacts. The Serbian spruce seedling seed orchard at Godovik represents the base for the improvement of the production of the selected seeds of this species, which can be used as the initial material for the extension of its range. The allele polymorphism of the mitochondrial nad1 gene was analyzed in five different Serbian spruce phenogroups of which the orchard is established. The obtained results are a contribution to a closer study of the causes of the postglacial intraspecific differentiation of Serbian spruce and the creation of the above phenogroups. The study results are significant for further breeding of this species based on the better knowledge of the genetic structure of the species, its directed utilisation and the widening of its range.