Genetic diversity among different genotypes of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia (mastic tree).

The Mastic Tree, Pistacia Lentiscus var. chia, belongs to the Anacardiaceae family and is cultivated only on the southern part of the Greek island of Chios. The male tree gives a resin product known for its therapeutic qualities. Morphological characteristics suggest the existence of different genotypes that also differ in quantity and quality of the resin production. The four major genotypes of the male mastic tree, Votomos, Maroulitis, Mavroskinos and Siderakikos, have distinct phenotypes and can be easily identified. In the present study the genetic diversity between the different genotypes among the male mastic trees and female was studied using two different molecular marker techniques, RAPD and ISSR. Based on the molecular results of the present study, the entries show genetic diversity among the genotypes and within the different individuals. The female tree was grouped separately from the four different male genotypes.