Seed Sizes Effects on First- and Second-Year Pecan and Hybrid Pecan Growth
There has been considerable information published on the effect of seed size on growth of various agricultural crops (1,3,6) and, generally, in forest tree species size of seed and first-year growth have been positively correlated (2,5,7,9,10). However, one study with improved varieties of pecan (Carya illinoensis) (Wangenh.) (K. Koch) indicated that seed size (weight) had no influence on germination or seedling vigor (4). In wild populations of pecan there is a large amount of tree-to-tree variation in seed size (fig. 1). If seed size has an effect on seedling growth during the first or second year, this might enable the nurseryman to produce larger 1-0 seedlings simply by preselecting and planting the largest seed. This study was designed to test the size-seedling growth relationship of forest-grown pecan.
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Author(s): John C. Adams, Bart A. Thielges
Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 30, Number 1 (1979)
Section: general
Volume: 30
Number: 1