Advances in Biology & Earth Sciences

The genus Pistacia is a member of the Anacardiaceae family which includes eleven species. This genus is very important at economic, medicinal and environmental levels. The aim of this research is to study the genetic diversity of wild Pistacia species in Jordan. Forty samples from four wild Pistacia species; Pistacia atlantica Desf., Pistacia terebinthus L. subsp. palaestina Boiss., Pistacia khinjuk Stocks and Pistacia lentiscus L. collected from different geographical regions in Jordan were included in the study. Genetic diversity among the four species was investigated using twelve agro-morphological traits and three types of molecular markers. Both analysis; allowed discrimination between samples belonging to different species. The dendrograms generated by the two data sets reveal that Pistacia terebinthus L. subsp. palaestina Boiss and Pistacia atlantica Desf were the closest species and both separated from the remaining ones. The results of this study may be useful in developing national strategies for conservation of wild Pistacia species specially for Pistacia khinjuk, the use of Pistacia trees in forestation and land restoration in dry and semi-arid areas and as source of candidate genes for plant breeding program due to ability of Pistacia to grow in harsh and marginal environments.