The purpose of this study was to identify the variant of Platanus occidentalis, whose bark looks white, also can be classified as P. occidentalis and to examine its genetic difference from the general P. occidentalis. For the variant identification of P. occidentalis, SNP and ISSR analysis were used in this study. Thirteen samples of P. occidentalis white variant were collected in Cheongju and 24 samples of normal P. occidentalis obtained in Cheongju, Pyongtaek, Ansan, Suwon, Osan and Jincheon area. ITS 1 and ITS 2 sequences of white variants were identical with those of P. occidentalis. We could not find any sequence difference between normal and white P. occidentalis. So we concluded that the white variant belongs to normal P. occidentalis even their bark is white and peeled easily. By ISSR test, 98 amplicons were acquired using 10 primers. P. occidentalis and white P. occidentalis showed different band patterns from the UBC #834. According to the result of Nei (1979)'s genetic distance analysis, the members of white P. occidentalis were grouped more tightly than the members of normal P. occidentalis. The UPGMA dendrogram shows that the variant and P. occidentalis divided widely into two groups. These results show that the phenotype of P. occidentalis white variant is caused by genetic factors rather than by environmental factors.

• Jin-Young Lee
• Mu-Seok Han
• Chang-Seob Shin