ABSTRACT
Abstract Information on genetic diversity is fundamental to developing in situ or ex situ conservation strategies. This study assessed the genetic differentiation between plantations and neighboring natural populations of Juglans regia. Genetic structures of three natural population and three neighboring plantations of J. regia in northwest of Iran were assessed using 10 nuclear microsatellite loci (SSR). Natural populations presented higher total number of alleles (119) and observed heterozygosity (Ho= 0.29) than planted stands (101 alleles, Ho= 0.21). The observed alleles of natural stands varied from 2 (WGA61 and WGA9) to 7 (WGA9) and from 2 (WGA321 and WGA276) to 5 (WGA202 and WGA9) in planted stands. One of the planted populations (B) indicated the largest level of genetic diversity. In conclusion, genetic diversity of all investigated plantation and natural stands are similar. This recommends that even plantations might qualify as gene conservation stands.