Progeny testing of Pinus sylvestris L. of seed orchard in different environmental conditions

Abstract

Evaluation of the progeny test of plus trees of Scots pine - a necessary condition for determining the prospects the use of improved seeds in different environmental conditions. The paper presents the results of the study of the progeny test of groups of clones of plus trees of Scots pine selected according to certain characteristics in Northern Steppe and South Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Analysis of results showed: a significant improvement in the growth rates of the all testing progenies of seed orchard in the better climatic and soil conditions of South Forest-Steppe between the ages of 3 and 10 years. At the same time 4 out of 5 studied progenies worsened their growth indicators relative to local control at the age of 3 to 26 years in less optimal climatic and soil conditions of Northern Steppe. The leader in the steppe conditions was the progeny of a fraction of three clones, which had the highest seed productivity. The selection of the fastest growing clones and the rejection of the slowest growing ones had a positive effect on the growth of progenies of seed orchards at both test points.