Juvenile Performance in Three Black Alder Provenance Plantations in the Northeast

One- and two-year heights of 48 black alder provenances were evaluated at three locations. Growth was consistently superior in several provenances from central Europe, and growth was consistently inferior in most provenances from Scotland, Norway, and the eastern Baltic region. Provenance x plantation interactions were strong but followed discernable patterns. Southern European provenances grew relatively faster on the driest site (a Pennsylvania mine spoil) than they did elsewhere; provenances from an inverted Ushaped region in northern and eastern Europe grew relatively faster at the coldest location (in New Brunswick); and provenances from a central European region grew relatively faster at the third location (a Pennsylvania agricultural site). Two measures of form were evaluated after the second growing season in one of the Pennsylvania plantations. Apical dominance varied considerably among provenances and appeared to be the most important characteristic contributing to visual differences in growth habit. Most provenances with relatively strong apical dominance originated north of about latitude 47°. Provenances also differed significantly in branch angle, but only within a range of about 11 degrees.

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Author(s): Laura E. DeWald, Kim C. Steiner, Katherine K. Carter

Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Northeastern Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1982

Section: Session 1