CONCLUSION
In this study, we showed the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and haplotype characteristics of the main natural and artificial populations of Chinese pine in northern China based on two mtDNA markers, in addition, we identified the germplasm sources of HB and LN plantations for the first time exactly. We once again confirmed the core position of SX* natural populations in Chinese pine populations of northern China, genetic diversity of HB and LN plantations was higher than that of SX* natural populations, and there was a great difference in genetic background within the groups of SX* and LN, HB showed the opposite (Figure 1-6 ). More importantly, we finished the ”point-by-point” tracing of the HB and LN plantations task. We suggested that almost all HB populations came from SX* (GDS*, ZTS*, GCS*, and THS*), which brought the genetic background homogeneity of HB populations. Most of the germplasms of LN plantations came from LN* (ZJS*, WF*), and the other part came from GDS* (SX*), which contributed to great differences in genetic background within the LN group (Figure 7 ).
Overall, our findings provided a reliable theoretical basis for the scientific allocation, management, and utilization of Chinese pine populations in northern China, and promoting the high-quality construction of Chinese pine plantations.