Effects of stem injections of gibberellin A4/7 and paclobutrazol on sex expression and the within-crown distribution of seed and pollen cones in black spruce (Picea mariana)

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 641-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald F Smith

Two experiments in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) seedling seed orchards were established to determine if a stem injection of paclobutrazol (2RS,3RS)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl) could be used as an adjunct treatment to increase the efficacy of stem injections of gibberellins A4 and A7 (GA4/7). Trees received a single injection of GA4/7 and (or) paclobutrazol shortly after vegetative bud burst. There was a dose-dependent but nonlinear increase in the production of cones of both sexes in response to stem injections of either GA4/7 or paclobutrazol. The optimum rate of GA4/7 for stimulating pollen-cone production was 3.3 mg, whereas the most seed cones were induced on trees receiving 11 mg. The sex ratio (number of seed cones/number of pollen cones) increased with the rate of GA4/7 applied. Injecting paclobutrazol also promoted cones of both sexes equally, resulting in sex ratios comparable with that of the control trees. Treatments did not affect the total numbers of buds (vegetative, latent, and cone) produced. Seed- and pollen-cone buds occurred in positions that would have otherwise developed vegetatively and become latent, respectively. The mechanisms whereby paclobutrazol could affect flowering in black spruce are discussed. The use of paclobutrazol as an adjunct to GA4/7 treatments in black spruce seedling seed orchards appears effective, practical, and safe.

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong H. Ho

Black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) grafts growing in a seed orchard were sprayed with gibberellin A4/7, and grafts and trees in families growing in arboreta were sprayed with gibberellin A4/7 and (or) vitamin E from vegetative bud burst to the end of shoot elongation. Gibberellin A4/7 was very effective in promoting seed cones and 400 mg/L appeared optimal. Vitamin E at 1000 mg/L was not effective. Vegetative bud burst occurred in mid-May and shoot elongation ended in late June. Needle primordia were visible on the apices of newly formed buds at the end of June. Reproductive buds had fewer bud scales than vegetative buds. It appeared that potential reproductive buds terminated their bud scale initiation earlier. Gibberellin A4/7 application to promote seed-cone production should be carried out before bud-type differentiation. This coincides with the end of lateral shoot elongation.


1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 1051-1058 ◽  
Author(s):  
John N. Owens ◽  
Anna M. Colangeli

Cone buds were induced on container-grown and field-grown western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) clones during a 3-year period to study the effects of time and duration of gibberellin A4/7 treatment on cone induction, sexuality of cones, and to relate these results to bud and shoot development. The most effective treatment times preceded anatomical differentiation. The most abundant pollen cones and seed cones were produced when trees were sprayed with gibberellin A4/7 before vegetative bud burst and early shoot elongation. Two to three weekly gibberellin A4/7 applications starting at preswollen and swollen-bud stages were adequate for pollen-cone production. Pollen-cone production decreased when the applications were started at vegetative bud burst or during early shoot elongation. A minimum of three weekly applications were required for seed-cone production, and applications were equally effective when started at preswollen, swollen, and vegetative bud burst stages. Seed-cone production decreased when three weekly applications were started during early shoot elongation; however, this was overcome by increasing the number of applications.


1981 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 267-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Simpson ◽  
G. R. Powell

Ten young black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) plantations in northern and central New Brunswick were examined to de termine the influence of aspect, slope, tree age and tree height on pollen-cone and seed-cone production. It was found that a greater proportion of trees growing on southerly aspects produced pollen cones and seed cones than trees growing on northerly aspects. Trees growing on southerly aspects bore 2.5 and 5 times more seed cones and pollen cones, respectively, than trees growing on northerly aspects. Cone production on south-sloping sites was approximately double that on level sites. The number of seed cones was most significantly correlated with tree height. The number of pollen cones was most significantly correlated with number of seed cones.


1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 921-928 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.-É. Caron

Seed orchard managers wanting to predict potential seed-cone (Sc) and pollen-cone (Pc) production 1 year in advance of seed release and pollen dissemination need predictive models. The present study proposes the use of cone-crop models based on tree age in young black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) orchards. Sc and Pc production was monitored from 1987 to 1993 in each of five seedling seed orchards. Some trees began bearing Sc and Pc by tree age 6. The relationships of Sc and Pc production with tree age were each represented by three sigmoid equations: one for light crop years, one for heavy crop years, and one for light plus heavy crop years. The rate of cone increase for heavy and light crop years differed for both Sc and Pc. Sigmoid equations representing heavy Sc and Pc crop years in orchards had the highest r2 (0.8462 and 0.9381, respectively) and the lowest standard error. Sigmoid model of heavy crop years with plantation data also had the highest r2 value (0.8066) and the lowest standard error. The rate of Sc and Pc increase versus tree age was higher for orchards than for plantations. To select the best of three sigmoid models, one must take into account the early buildup phase of cone production in young trees, the yearly fluctuation in cone crops, previous-year cone production, and environmental factors that can affect cone crops.


1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1137-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong H. Ho

Potted 5-year-old grafts of black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) growing in either a heated greenhouse or an outdoor holding area were sprayed weekly at 200 mg•L−1 gibberellin A4/7 for various durations and timings. The application began 1 to 6 weeks after vegetative bud break and continued until the end of lateral shoot elongation. Sprayings ended at the same time for all treatments, about 1 week before leaf primordial differentiation on the shoot apices. The best response in seed-cone production occurred when application began 2 weeks after bud break (midstage of rapid shoot elongation) and continued for 5 weeks; treatments were also effective when applications began 3 weeks after bud break or earlier and continued for 4 to 6 weeks. Treatments initiated later (4 to 6 weeks after bud break) were not effective. Grafts kept outdoors produced more seed cones than those kept indoors. The effects on cone production of gibberellin A4/7 application at four different concentrations were compared by spraying for 6 weeks, beginning 1 week after vegetative bud burst. Gibberellin A4/7 at 200 mg•L−1 was the lowest foliar spray concentration found to be effective in promoting seed-cone production.


1979 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
George S. Puritch ◽  
Eleanor E. McMullan ◽  
Michael D. Meagher ◽  
Clarence S. Simmons

Gibberellic acid (GA) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) were applied alone and in combination to both girdled and nongirdled branches of Douglas-fir in four seed orchards (two containing seedlings and two containing grafts). GA significantly increased seed-cone buds and cones and caused a nonsignificant increase in pollen-cone buds. Cone production was not significantly affected by girdling or the application of NAA. Trees treated with the combination of GA + NAA responded similarly to those treated with GA alone. Cone production response to GA varied according to the orchard locations, with better response in the normally more productive orchards. The percentage of trees flowering was increased by GA. Hormone treatments had no effect on seeds per cone but they significantly reduced filled seed per cone. Owing to increased cone number, however, the GA treatments greatly increased the yield of viable seed. NAA increased the percentage of seed germinating and the rate of seed germination, while GA had no effect.


1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. E. Caron ◽  
G. R. Powell

Production of seed cones from 1978 to 1987 and of pollen cones from 1980 to 1982 by young black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) trees was recorded in five plantations aged 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 years in 1980. Variations in cone production and percentages of trees bearing cones were assessed in relation to changing tree age and cone numbers per tree. The first seed cones and pollen cones were noted on 7- and 10-year-old trees, respectively. After ages 10–12 for seed cones and 12–14 for pollen cones there were substantial yearly fluctuations of average numbers of cones per tree. Similarly, the percentages of trees bearing cones fluctuated among years, but differences between poorer and better years decreased as the proportion of bearing trees gradually increased. Up to age 14, the number of seed cones borne per tree was generally higher than the number of pollen cones. Thereafter, pollen-cone production was always higher than seed-cone production and reached 6.6 pollen cones per seed cone by age 18. Pollen cone bearing trees were good indicators of seed cone bearing trees at all ages. Most 12-year-old and older seed cone bearing trees were good indicators of pollen cone bearing trees. Annual production of seed cones was correlated with warm weather in early May and early July, and with relatively low rainfall in early June of the previous year.


1982 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. McPherson ◽  
E. K. Morgenstern ◽  
B. S. P. Wang

One seed orchard each of black spruce (Picea mariana) [Mill.] B.S.P.) and white spruce (Picea glauca) [Moench] Voss) was established in northern Ontario gradually during the 1958-78 period. Each species was represented by approximately 45 clones and 450 ramets. During the whole period, records were kept of cone production by individual ramets and of seed production by clones expressed as average number of seeds per cone extracted and germinated. Substantial cone production began 8 years after grafting in black spruce and after 10 years in white spruce. The figures indicated that a clonal orchard of black spruce planted at 5 × 5 m spacing (400 ramets) produces approximately 1 million sound seeds per ha per year; the white spruce equivalent is 900 000. Conditions of cone development and cone storage and damage by insects and fungi can reduce germination of the sound seed harvested by about 20%.


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