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

Effect of an Insecticide Spray Program on Slash Pine Seed Orchard Efficiency

The efficiency of slash pine production was compared in Guthion®3/ sprayed vs. unsprayed plots in the Georgia Forestry Commission's Horseshoe Seed Orchard. Guthion was applied monthly from April to September for 1975 and 1976. The primary losses were from pre-harvest mortality of flowers, conelets, and from the abortion of ovules before seed maturity. Guthion increased cone and seed efficiencies to 58 and 39 percent, respectively, compared to values of 38 and 24 for the unsprayed plots. Extraction and germination efficiencies were 90 and 83 percent for the Guthion® plots compared to 88 and 78 for the unsprayed plots. Overall production was evaluated by combining separate efficiencies for cone survival, filled seed/cone, seed extraction, and seed germination. On this basis, the seed orchard to nursery efficiency was 17 percent in Guthion® spray plots, and only 6 percent for the unsprayed plots.


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Author(s): John F. Godbee, Jr., Terry S. Price, David L. Bramlett

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

Section: Session 2: Seed Orchard Technology