Mating system of two priority species for ecosystem restoration at Mount Merapi

The mating system is a process that describes travelling pollen reached an ovul during reproductive stages; thus, this proses effects on genetic diversity and structure of plant species. Ficus variegata Blume (nyawai) and Dodonaea viscosa Jaeq. (tesek) are two priority species for ecosystem restoration program at Mount Merapi. Its conservation status has been threatened by a regularly volcanic eruption. To understand the mating system, this study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of seedlings and outcrosing rate of nyawai and tesek. DNA template for genetic analysis was obtained from 94 seedlings of nyawai that collected from a mother tree and 24 seedlings of tesek from a mother tree in its natural distribution, respectively. Genetic analysis was employed using 24-38 loci of random amplified polymorphism DNA (RAPD) markers. As results, genetic diversity (HE) of seedlings of the two species were maintained at moderate level; it ranged between 0.357 to 0.377 for nyawai and 0.411 for tesek, respectively. PCoA analysis described the seedlings were genetically unrelated. These results might be in consequence of high outcrossing rate (tm=1) and zero inbreeding coefficient among maternal trees (to-ts=0). The results also suggest that seeds translocation and deployment of nyawai and tesek, should be strictly managed; thus, specific alleles that characterize a population could be maintained.