DIVERSITY AND PHENOTYPIC STRUCTURE OF POPULATIONS OF EUROPEAN SPRUCE (PICEA ABIES) IN THE EAST OF THE RANGE

European spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) is widespread in Europe. It is of interest to study its biological characteristics in the eastern part of the range, where it transforms into an intermediate form with Siberian spruce. Phenotypic traits of spruce in this area have so far been studied mainly by visual and descriptive techniques. The aim of the study is to study the variability of the main systematic characters, diversity and phenotypic structure of European spruce in the east of the range using mathematical and statistical techniques. This approach made it possible to objectively assess the parameters of its systematic characters, their relationship, and also to identify three significantly different groups of populations. It is shown that in this area the average length of spruce cones is in the range from 80-85 to 100-114 mm. The coefficient of narrowing of the upper part of the seed scales ( C ) is 25-35%, the coefficient of projection ( C ) is 60-80%, their difference ( C- C ) is -25… -55%. The value of the individual variation in the length of cones and the C index is 12-15%, C index is about 20%, and C-C is 30-35%. The intrapopulation coefficient of negative correlation of C and C indices has an average level (-0.3…-0.6). Their correlation between populations is much higher (-0.9). In the geographic variability of indicators of the shape of seed scales and the length of the cones, there is a correlation of the average level. The frequency of individuals of European spruce phenotypes in the populations of the groups P. ab, P. ab×ab×m., P. ab×m., Distinguished by the metric parameters of seed scales, is 98-100, 85-95, 57-70%, respectively. The research results can be useful for forestry and in substantiating the identified intraspecific taxa.