Effect of sire population on the genetic diversity and fitness of F1 progeny in the endangered Chinese endemic Sinocalycanthus chinensis.

Sinocalycanthus chinensis Cheng et S. Y. Chang (Calycanthaceae), which has a unique systematic status, is listed as a national second-class protected plant of China. In this study, the genetic diversity, performance, and fitness of F1 progeny from crosses between the Damingshan (DMS) population of S. chinensis and pollen parents from the Daleishan (DLS) and Longxushan (LXS) populations were examined. The DLS population has a relatively small population size, low genetic diversity, and considerable geographical and genetic distances from the DMS population relative to the LXS population. Compared with naturally occurring seeds, DLS-sired seeds had the highest thousand-seed weight, starch content, fat content, germination rate, germination index, and emergence rate, but the lowest protein content. Naturally occurring, open-pollinated seeds had the lowest thousand-seed weight, starch content, and fat content, but the highest protein content. Compared with natural F1 progeny, DMS × DLS seedlings had the highest genetic diversity, photosynthetic parameters, and growth characteristics, except for leaf mass ratio and stem mass ratio. Under strong light, DMS × DLS seedlings exhibited a F v/F m value of 0.75, while the other two seedling types exhibited F v/F m values of 0.65. DLS-sired seeds had the most vigorous growth characteristics except for leaf mass ratio and stem mass ratio. These results suggest that genetic rescue by transplanting seedlings from the DLS population or hand pollination with pollen from the DLS population would be effective methods to reduce inbreeding depression and obtain strong offspring with high genetic diversity and fitness in the DMS population.