Estimating Seed Tree Needs for Eastern White Pine Seed Production Areas
An analysis of the relationship between measurements of cone size and seed yield indicated a linear relationship between numbers of seeds per cone and cone length, Such a relationship is shown for cone collections from other parts of New Hampshire. This linear relationship permits easy extrapolation of seed yields since the average number of seeds/cone can be used to estimate total yield for any number of cones of varying size so long as average cone length and average seed yield of the average cone are estimated. I used this approach to estimate the potential seed yields for trees in the stimulation study for the years in which we had cone crop failure, but for which we had an estimate of conelet production (tables 1, 2). The data contained in table 2 can be used then to estimate potential seed yield from a seed production area. If we can assume that 15 seed trees/acre will be used in the production area then a tabulation of yield is possible (table 3).
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Author(s): Harold W. Hocker, Jr.
Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Northeastern Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1964