Within-Population Variation in Juvenile Growth Rhythm and Growth in Fraxinus excelsior L. and Prunus avium L. : International Journal of Forest Genetics

2000

183-192

Unselbständiges Werk

200083908

The purpose of our investigation was to estimate genetic parameters for early growth and growth rhythm traits in F. excelsior L. and P. avium L. by analysing open pollinated families from four Swedish populations of each species. The populations were sampled along a climatic gradient in southern Sweden. Fraxinus excelsior L. was represented by 20-29 open pollinated progenies per population while Prunus avium L. had 22-29 families per population. The seedlings were planted in common garden experiments and assessments of growth rhythm and growth were made repeatedly over years up to age 5. Large and significant family effects were obtained for all traits. Generally, the coefficients of additive variance were large. The site x family interaction in Prunus avium was slightly larger than in Fraxinus excelsior. The genetic correlations between the observations of the same trait during different years were generally strong. As expected there was generally a negative relationship between growth cessation and plant height. The large coefficients of additive variation in separate populations for the adaptive traits studied, indicate a potential to respond to strong environmental changes such as are predicted by global warming. It also indicates good prospects for gene conservation and tree breeding.