© 1994 Heron Publishing—Victoria, Canada
Effects of maternal environment on mortality and growth in young Pinus sylvestris in field trials
Dag Lindgren (1, 2) and Run-Peng Wei (1, 3)
1. Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden / 2. Author to whom correspondence should be addressed / 3. Forest Research Institute of Guangdong Province, Shahe, Longdong, Guangzhou 510520, People's Republic of China / Received May 23, 1993
Summary
The same full-sib families of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were created by artificial pollination of genetically identical grafts at three localities in Sweden at approximately
56, 59 and 64° N. Two field trials were established with one-year-old plants in different years at latitude 64° N. Height
and survival were monitored for 4–5 years following planting. Maternal environment had significant aftereffects on the height
of progeny. In both field trials, plants with the maternal parent at 59° N were tallest and plants with the maternal parent
at 64° N were shortest. The aftereffects of maternal environment were as large in six-year-old plants as in one-year-old plants.
In one field trial, maternal environment had a significant effect on mortality six years after germination but not after three
years. Mortality increased with decreasing latitude of the maternal location. We conclude that the aftereffects of maternal
environment are too large and too permanent to be regarded as unimportant.
Keywords:
aftereffect, crosses, grafts, Scots pine, seed orchard, survival.
