RNGR.net is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and Southern Regional Extension Forestry and is a colloborative effort between these two agencies.

U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Extension Forestry Southern Regional Extension Forestry

Growth Rates of Eighty Scotch Pine Populations at Fourteen Years in Maryland

Historically, Scotch pine was one of the first pines planted in experimental plots for studies of its racial variation, and one of the first goals was to select the most desirable seed sources for production of shipmasts (De Vilmorin, 1862). Many other research plantations were established and studied to select strains with best growth rate and other characteristics (Kalela, 1937; Langlet, 1936; Schreiner et al. 1962, Wright and Balwin, 1957). These and other studies gave much information on the values of different strains for Christmas trees (Wright et al. 1966; Genys, 1970; King, 1965), Some results were based on measurements of young trees, and questions were raised concerning validity of the data for predicting the growth rates of trees in their advanced ages. In Maryland, eighty populations of Scotch pine were studied when they were 2,2 to 8.4 feet tall, and currently the same strains were measured and compared when they ranged in height from 10.6 to 25.9 feet. In the first instance, the data were valuable for selection of seed sources for Christmas trees, while this current information on older trees may help in selection of promising seed sources for production of timber.


Download this file:

PDF document Download this file — PDF document, 461Kb

Details

Author(s): John. B Genys

Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Northeastern Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1975