Native Korean Peninsula Larch Tree Preserved through 'Maternal Lineage DNA Analysis Technology'
Published 2025년 6월 24일
Tridge summary
(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Eun-pa = The National Institute of Forest Science has developed and registered a patent for a "maternal genetic-based DNA analysis technique" that can distinguish between hybrid species resulting from crossbreeding between Korean native larch trees and Japanese larch trees introduced from Japan from an early stage.
This technology analyzes mitochondrial DNA information in plant cells to accurately determine whether the mother tree of a seed or young tree is a native Korean larch tree.
In the case of coniferous trees with needle-like leaves such as larch, since mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother tree, this information can be used to confirm early on whether a young tree is a hybrid between larch and Japanese larch.
The Forest Science Institute previously developed a chloroplast DNA analysis technique in 2019 to distinguish between larch and Japanese larch.
However, chloroplast DNA only contains genetic information from the father tree, making it difficult to accurately determine the species even if the mother tree is a larch tree.
The newly developed mitochondrial DNA analysis technique overcomes these limitations and can more precisely diagnose whether a seed or young tree originates from a native Korean larch tree.
In particular, the Korean larch is the only native species that grows in high mountain areas and plateaus north of Geumgangsan among global larch species, and the only "Larch Species Conservation Area" in Korea is located in Gariwan Mountain in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province.
Japanese larch was introduced from Japan and widely planted nationwide, with a high possibility of natural hybridization with native larch trees, making precise genetic identification essential.
Using the newly developed technique, the Forest Science Institute analyzed seeds and young trees collected from the Gariwan Mountain Larch Species Conservation Area and successfully distinguished hybrid individuals for the first time in Korea.
Dr. Ahn Ji-young from the Forest Life Information Research Division said, "This developed technique will be actively used to secure the genetic purity of native Korean species and scientific conservation policies" and added, "We will continue to accumulate research data through forest science research that can be utilized in forest policies."
sw21@yna.co.kr
This technology analyzes mitochondrial DNA information in plant cells to accurately determine whether the mother tree of a seed or young tree is a native Korean larch tree.
In the case of coniferous trees with needle-like leaves such as larch, since mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother tree, this information can be used to confirm early on whether a young tree is a hybrid between larch and Japanese larch.
The Forest Science Institute previously developed a chloroplast DNA analysis technique in 2019 to distinguish between larch and Japanese larch.
However, chloroplast DNA only contains genetic information from the father tree, making it difficult to accurately determine the species even if the mother tree is a larch tree.
The newly developed mitochondrial DNA analysis technique overcomes these limitations and can more precisely diagnose whether a seed or young tree originates from a native Korean larch tree.
In particular, the Korean larch is the only native species that grows in high mountain areas and plateaus north of Geumgangsan among global larch species, and the only "Larch Species Conservation Area" in Korea is located in Gariwan Mountain in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province.
Japanese larch was introduced from Japan and widely planted nationwide, with a high possibility of natural hybridization with native larch trees, making precise genetic identification essential.
Using the newly developed technique, the Forest Science Institute analyzed seeds and young trees collected from the Gariwan Mountain Larch Species Conservation Area and successfully distinguished hybrid individuals for the first time in Korea.
Dr. Ahn Ji-young from the Forest Life Information Research Division said, "This developed technique will be actively used to secure the genetic purity of native Korean species and scientific conservation policies" and added, "We will continue to accumulate research data through forest science research that can be utilized in forest policies."
sw21@yna.co.kr
Original content
(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Eun-pa = The National Institute of Forest Science has developed and registered a patent for a "maternal genetic-based DNA analysis technique" that can distinguish between hybrid species created by crossbreeding native Korean larch trees and Japanese larch trees introduced from Japan from an early stage. This technique analyzes mitochondrial DNA information in plant cells to accurately determine whether the mother tree of seeds or young trees is a native Korean larch tree. In the case of coniferous trees with needle-like leaves such as larch, since mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother tree, this information can be used to confirm early on whether a young tree is a hybrid between larch and Japanese larch. The Forest Science Institute previously developed a chloroplast DNA analysis technique in 2019 to distinguish between larch and Japanese larch. However, chloroplast DNA only contains genetic information from the father tree, making ...
Source: Yna
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