Common ways of nursery cultivation and sorting the planting material of mountain provenances of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) are connected with the risk of undesirable narrowing of the genetic spectrum of populations. Investigations in spruce plantations established by different planting materials found out very good growth (total height is 125 cm 9 years after outplanting) and health status of these slowly growing seedlings planted in extreme mountain conditions. In order to prevent the genetic spectrum narrowing, we recommend to cultivate all seedlings including smaller outsorted (commonly culled) ones. The smallest seedlings can be grown one year longer and subsequently planted out in the same locality as the remaining planting material of the same seed lot. 113 creased adaptation to adverse mountain conditions (Oleksyn et al. 1998). It is also confirmed by data documenting that spruce populations from higher altitudes or northerly areas showed higher resistance to both frost (Simpson 1994;Hawkins, Shewan 2000;Westin et al. 2000a) and drought (Modrzynski, Eriksson 2002) than seedlings from lower altitudes or of southerly provenance.Small seedlings characterized by slow growth in the first years after sowing, which are discarded in nurseries as culls in the course of current sorting, may be a very valuable part of the population from genetic aspects.High growth variability within mountain spruce populations is mostly attributed to high genetic variability of seed. The spruce at various altitudes above sea level blossoms approximately at the same time and the pollen is borne across a wide range of altitudes. It may result in the pollination of spruce populations in the mountains by pollen from medium altitudes and vice versa (Holzer 1985). When growing the planting material for higher mountain altitudes, different criteria should be used for the sorting of seedlings and plants because the discarding of smaller, slowly growing plants may lead to the narrowing of the genetic spectrum and the plants that have adapted themselves to extreme mountain conditions in the best way might be culled (Holzer et al. 1987;Lang 1989;Jurásek, Martincová 1996, 2001.The aim of the experiment is to investigate the development of slowly growing seedlings from a mountain population of Norway spruce after their planting in extreme mountain conditions compared to the development of seedlings of standard and large dimensions. MATERIAL AND METHODSSeeds used for the cultivation of planting material originated from the spruce forest vegetation zone (this zone is characterized by altitude 1,050-1,350 m above sea level with average temperature 2.5-4°C). In 1992 two-years-old seedlings were divided before transplanting into 3 size categories: smaller than 8 cm (small, usually considered as culls), 8-15 cm (medium) and 15-22 cm (large). Seedlings reaching just the height of 8 or 15 cm were included in the higher size category. After transplanting the plants were grown for another 2 years, then they were used for direct pla...

High quality of planting material is an essential prerequisite for successful artificial forest regeneration. We carried out a detailed investigation aimed at differences between plantable bareroot and container plants of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). Based on the results of this experiment, there exist marked differences in basic morphological traits between bareroot plants and plugs. The largest differences were observed in root collar diameter and root system volume. Differences in physiological quality (nutrient content, function of assimilatory organs) were also great. The results document that container seedlings of Norway spruce produced by intensive technology in controlled conditions of plastic greenhouses have very good predispositions for successful growth in difficult mountain conditions.

ABSTRACT:The influence of the date of cutting collection and cutting position in the crown on rooting quality was evaluated in cuttings taken from seven-year ortets. The evaluation of various dates of cutting collection in spring demonstrated a possibility of successful propagation by cuttings during a relatively long period from full bud dormancy to flushing onset. The relationship between the development of aboveground parts (flushing, shoot and bud formation) and rooting quality was not established. The exposure of cuttings in the crown of parent tree with respect to the cardinal points did not influence rooting percentage and quality. A somewhat higher rooting ability was observed in cuttings from lower parts of the crown in comparison with cuttings taken from the highest whorls. Differences were more perceivable in generally weak-rooting clones. The comparison of rooting quality in cuttings from seven-and eight-year mother plantations with cuttings from a sixteen-year mother plantation confirmed that not only the rooting of cuttings collected from older mother plantations is weaker but also their growth is slower and their plagiotropic growth continues for a longer time.

This study highlights the effect of drought and ambient temperature on performance and herbage quality of legume monocultures and grass-legume mixtures. In a field experiment, the total dry matter yield, seasonal pattern of dry matter yield distribution, content of crude protein and crude fibre of monocultures of red clover and alfalfa and grass-legume mixtures were investigated during two consecutive dry years (2011-2012). Alfalfa cultivars Kamila and Tereza grown as monocultures or as mixtures with Festulolium braunii (cultivar Achilles) outperformed the red clover cultivars Fresko and Veles and provided a well-balanced total and seasonal dry matter yield during both years. Across all experimental years, crude protein content was significantly higher at alfalfa monocultures and mixture when compared with clover monocultures (P < 0.05). However, considerable lower content of crude fibre at clover monocultures in comparison with alfalfa ones was found. Responses of nutritive parameters of both legume species to weather variables were different. Crude protein content in red clover was independent of rainfall and temperature. In contrast, the crude fibre content correlated with temperature whereby the alfalfa monocultures showed stronger correlations (P < 0.05) than red clover monocultures.

Wild ecotypes of Festuca rubra L. (four accessions), Poa pratensis L. (three accessions ) and Phleum pratense L. (three accessions) originating from Central Slovakia were investigated. Dry matter production, qualitative traits as well as mineral content were studied under identical soilclimatic conditions in a three-cut system. Yield potential of wild ecotypes of Festuca rubra L. coming from mountain regions was significantly lower (P < 0.01) when compared to Festuca rubra L. cultivar Levočská. In contrast, as a consequence of low variability, the dry matter yield of Phleum pratense L. wild ecotypes originating from higher altitudes was comparable to the dry matter yields of Festuca rubra L. cultivar Levočská. There were not noted any considerable differences found in the content of crude protein, fibre or mineral substances between the wild ecotypes and the cultivars. All accessions showed consistent patterns in seasonal distribution with the highest dry matter yield at the first cut and with the lowest one at the third cut. In general, concentration of crude protein and fibre did not vary considerably among cultivars and wild ecotypes at all species under uniform growing conditions.