Development and Potential of a Longleaf Pine Seedling Seed Orchard

A longleaf pine progeny test designed for conversion to a seedling seed orchard was established near Gainesville, Florida, in 1969, with wind-pollinated progenies of 65 ortets of superior form and vigor selected in southeast Georgia, north Florida, and south Alabama and Mississippi. A high degree of variation among progenies was noted for survival, height initiation, height, and volume. Height initiation was positively correlated with growth and survival, but survival was not significantly associated with growth. The orchard was reduced to 152 trees per acre by within-family roguing at age 4 and family roguing and subsequent thinning within selected families at age 7. A total of 53 progenies were retained, but 34 progenies constituted most of the orchard. Forty-four percent of the 34 were from south Alabama and west Florida. Suggested gains from retaining 34 progenies were 41 percent for height initiation, a large increment for survival, and 61 percent for volume, but due to the index selection practiced, the gains will be lower. The orchard has been fertilized to promote flowering, and a number of progenies have conelets.

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Author(s): Donald L. Rockwood, H. R. Kok

Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1977

Section: Session 1: Tree Breeding