scholarly journals Towards new seed orchard designs in Germany – A review

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-98
Author(s):  
Heike Liesebach ◽  
Katharina Liepe ◽  
Cornelia Bäucker
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Random Mating ◽  
Seed Orchard ◽  
Tree Breeding ◽  
Progeny Testing ◽  
Acer Pseudoplatanus ◽  
Seed Orchards ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
Estimated Breeding Values ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract New first and 1.5 generation seed orchards are to be created in Germany based on recently assembled breeding populations of Acer pseudoplatanus, Larix sp., Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Quercus sp. To justify the high expenses in time and cost for orchard establishment and maintenance, planning should make use of consolidated knowledge and experience of both the national and international scientific community. Here, we briefly describe advances in genetic gains achieved through tree breeding, and resume population genetic aspects and design considerations to draw conclusions for clonal composition and spatial design of the new orchards. We conclude that to avoid outbreeding depression separate orchards are required for each breeding zone. The zones are species-specific and defined by ecological and climatic aspects. A minimum of 60-80 clones per orchard is recommended for native tree species with high proportions of natural regeneration in forest practice. This would allow future selective thinning based on estimated breeding values from progeny testing. It would also permit the transfer of seed orchard progenies into a naturally regenerating forest stands without the risk of a genetic bottleneck. Lower clone numbers are appropriate for non-native species and hybrids. It is important to strictly avoid inbreeding depression, achieved by using only one clone per progeny or population, from which the plus trees were selected. Further, the spatial layout should promote random mating by optimizing the neighbourhood of each clone. With all of these considerations taken into account, we expect superior quality traits and at least 10-15 % more volume from the new seed orchards.

scholarly journals Seed orchards in Ukraine: past, present and prospects for the future

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 284-298
Author(s):  
Yuriy Hayda ◽  
Svitlana Los ◽  
Roman Yatsyk ◽  
Larisa Tereshchenko ◽  
Grygoriy Shlonchak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Orchard ◽  
Tree Breeding ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Forest Tree Breeding ◽  
Mountain Regions ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Seed Orchards ◽  
Seed Industry ◽  
English Oak ◽  
Genetic Value

Abstract The seed orchards (SO) serve possibilities to collect seeds from the selected genotypes or to create artificial population throughout the controlled crossing of the target genotypes. Therefore, the seed material obtained from the clonal and seedling seed orchards offers unique opportunity to improve the genetic value of seeds. Thus, the seed orchards are considered as an important part of the forest seed base being the key object for both modern forestry and forestry research. This paper outlines the forest breeding activities associated with the seed production in the seed orchards in Ukraine over the last 70 years. During this period, the different aspects related to the establishment and management of the seed orchard were studied. In these processes, many failures had occurred, their causes and consequences were described. These main breeding activities were reported considering plain and mountain regions of Ukraine as well as specific aspects of the reproduction of the main forest tree species. As of 2019, the total area of the clonal seed orchards (CSO) reached 1040.3 ha, while seedling seed orchards (SSO) only 273.7 ha. The results of research on the growth, reproductive development, the morphology of the plus trees clones in the SO were generalized. The article on the current problems and challenges for Ukrainian forestry mainly related to forest tree breeding and there was also focus on forest seed industry. For the main forest trees species (Scots pine, English oak and other), targeted breeding programs should be developed. It is relevant to create the genetic bank of the forest seeds.

Field performance and early test results of offspring from two Norway spruce seed orchards containing clones transferred to warmer climates

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 515-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore Skrøppa ◽  
Ketil Kohmann ◽  
Øystein Johnsen ◽  
Arne Steffenrem ◽  
Øyvind M. Edvardsen
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Field Performance ◽  
Seed Orchard ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Seed Orchards ◽  
Low Altitude ◽  
Natural Stands ◽  
Seed Crops

We present results from early tests and field trials of offspring from two Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seed orchards containing clones that have been transferred from high altitudes to sea level and from northern to southern latitudes. Seedlings from seeds produced in the low-altitude seed orchard developed frost hardiness later at the end of the growth season, flushed later in field trials, and grew taller than seedlings from seeds produced in natural stands. They had the lowest mortality rate and the lowest frequency of injuries in the field trials. Similar results were observed in seedlings from seeds produced in the southern seed orchard. We found no adverse effects of the changed growth rhythm. Seedlings from two seed crops in the southern orchard, produced in years with a warm and a cold summer, had different annual growth rhythms. The results are explained mainly by the effects of the climatic conditions during the reproductive phase. Seed crops from different years in the same seed orchard may produce seedlings that perform as if they were from different provenances. It is argued that the effects of the climatic conditions during seed production must contribute to the variation among provenances of Norway spruce.

scholarly journals Growth performance and wood structure of wavy grain sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) in a progeny trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Quambusch ◽  
Cornelia Bäucker ◽  
Volker Haag ◽  
Andreas Meier-Dinkel ◽  
Heike Liesebach
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Vegetative Propagation ◽  
Seed Orchard ◽  
Breeding Systems ◽  
Acer Pseudoplatanus ◽  
Wood Structure ◽  
Progeny Trial ◽  
Plus Tree ◽  
Sycamore Maple ◽  
Figure Type

Abstract • Key message Wavy grain, a rare figure type of wood, leads to highly priced timber in Acer pseudoplatanus L. The influence of this trait on growth performance and its causes are not known. Analyzed wavy and straight grain sycamore maple progenies show comparable growth performance in a field trial. Stability of wavy grain after vegetative propagation is confirmed and genetic inheritance indicated. • Context Wavy grain is a rare figure type of wood resulting from undulating fiber growth that leads to a decorative and highly priced timber in Acer pseudoplatanus L. with top positions on auction sales. Nevertheless, neither the influence of this trait on growth performance is known, nor have the causes been disentangled. • Aims Our objectives were to find out if wavy grain figure influences growth parameters essential for log quality and to gain insight into the causes of wavy grain by the analysis of a progeny trial and a seed orchard. • Methods In a progeny trial with 30-year-old F-1-offspring from selected wavy grained and straight grained trees, trunk diameter, tree height, and trunk shape were evaluated. Additionally, 21 trees of the trial and selected plus tree-grafts of a seed orchard were felled and analyzed for occurrence and intensity of wavy grain structure. • Results No effect of the wavy and straight grain parentage on growth was observed in the progeny trial. Of the felled trees, over 30% showed evidence of wavy grain compared to rare occurrence in natural stands. Wood structure analysis of plus tree scions confirmed the stability of wavy grain after vegetative propagation. • Conclusion Wavy grain seems to be genetically inherited, and there seems to be no statistically significant difference in commercially relevant traits in the progeny. This highlights the value of including wavy grain as a desired attribute in breeding systems of maple.

Cross-species Transcriptomes Reveal Species-specific and Shared Molecular Adaptations for Plants Development on Iron-rich Rocky Outcrops Soils

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Costa Dias ◽  
Cecílio Caldeira ◽  
Markus Gastauer ◽  
Silvio Ramos ◽  
Guilherme Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Circadian Rhythm ◽  
Differential Expression ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Light Stimulus ◽  
Differential Expression Analysis ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Rocky Outcrops ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract BackgroundCanga is the Brazilian term for the savanna-like vegetation harboring several endemic species on iron-rich rocky outcrops, usually considered for mining activities. Parkia platycephala Benth. and Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum (Willd.) Hochr. naturally occur in the cangas of Serra dos Carajás (eastern Amazonia, Brazil) and the surrounding forest, indicating high phenotypic plasticity. The morphological and physiological mechanisms of the plants’ establishment in the canga environment are well studied, but the molecular adaptative responses are still unknown. We aimed to identify molecular mechanisms that allow the establishment of these plants in the canga environment.ResultsPlants were grown in canga and forest substrates collected in the Carajás Mineral Province. RNA was extracted from pooled leaf tissue, and RNA-seq paired-end reads were assembled into representative transcriptomes for P. platycephala and S. pulcherrimum containing 31,728 and 31,311 primary transcripts, respectively. We identified both species-specific and core molecular responses in plants grown in the canga substrate using differential expression analyses. In the species-specific analysis, we identified 1,112 and 838 differentially expressed genes for P. platycephala and S. pulcherrimum, respectively. Enrichment analyses showed unique biological processes and metabolic pathways affected for each species. Comparative differential expression analysis was based on shared single-copy orthologs. The overall pattern of ortholog expression was species-specific. Even so, almost 300 altered genes were identified between plants in canga and forest substrates, responding the same way in both species. The genes were functionally associated with the response to light stimulus and the circadian rhythm pathway.ConclusionsPlants possess species-specific adaptative responses to cope with the substrates. Our results also suggest that plants adapted to both canga and forest environments can adjust the circadian rhythm in a substrate-dependent manner. The circadian clock gene modulation might be a central mechanism regulating the plants’ development in the canga substrate in the studied legume species. The mechanism may be shared as a common mechanism to abiotic stress compensation in other native species.

scholarly journals Emerging fungal pathogen of an invasive grass: Implications for competition with native plant species

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0237894
Author(s):  
Amy E. Kendig ◽  
Vida J. Svahnström ◽  
Ashish Adhikari ◽  
Philip F. Harmon ◽  
S. Luke Flory
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Leaf Spot Disease ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Invasive Grass ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Species Specific

Infectious diseases and invasive species can be strong drivers of biological systems that may interact to shift plant community composition. For example, disease can modify resource competition between invasive and native species. Invasive species tend to interact with a diversity of native species, and it is unclear how native species differ in response to disease-mediated competition with invasive species. Here, we quantified the biomass responses of three native North American grass species (Dichanthelium clandestinum, Elymus virginicus, and Eragrostis spectabilis) to disease-mediated competition with the non-native invasive grass Microstegium vimineum. The foliar fungal pathogen Bipolaris gigantea has recently emerged in Microstegium populations, causing a leaf spot disease that reduces Microstegium biomass and seed production. In a greenhouse experiment, we examined the effects of B. gigantea inoculation on two components of competitive ability for each native species: growth in the absence of competition and biomass responses to increasing densities of Microstegium. Bipolaris gigantea inoculation affected each of the three native species in unique ways, by increasing (Dichanthelium), decreasing (Elymus), or not changing (Eragrostis) their growth in the absence of competition relative to mock inoculation. Bipolaris gigantea inoculation did not, however, affect Microstegium biomass or mediate the effect of Microstegium density on native plant biomass. Thus, B. gigantea had species-specific effects on native plant competition with Microstegium through species-specific biomass responses to B. gigantea inoculation, but not through modified responses to Microstegium density. Our results suggest that disease may uniquely modify competitive interactions between invasive and native plants for different native plant species.

scholarly journals Studies on the Pollination Characteristics and Pollination Level of Chinese fir Seed Orchard

2004 ◽  
Vol 53 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 7-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Zhuowen
Keyword(s):  
Accumulation Rate ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Seed Orchard ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Chinese Fir ◽  
Female Cone ◽  
Bottom Part ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Seed Orchards ◽  
Male Cone

Abstract Data from three seed orchards (Chongyang, Zhangle and Laoshan) and Lintian forest were used to study pollination characteristics, pollination level, pollen and ovule production in Chinese fir. The results show that male and female cones have their own distribution patterns within crowns. Male cones are located in the middle to top and female cones the middle to bottom part of the crown. Because of lower density of trees in seed orchard than that in a stand, female cones are distributed over the entire crown in seed orchard trees. Chinese fir male and female cones appear to be very well adapted for wind as the pollination mechanism. There is no difference in the number of pollen grains produced by one pollen sac among trees in the same clone, but there are differences between clones. There are differences between both clones and years in female cone number, male cone number and their ratio. The pollen accumulation rate during pollination should be 3 to 5 pollen grains/mm2 to ensure fertilization. The Chinese fir seed orchards in this study produced too much pollen and could be improved by stimulation of more female flowers in order to produce more seeds.

Comparative analysis of occluded branch characteristics for Fraxinus excelsior and Acer pseudoplatanus with natural and artificial pruning

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 1414-1426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Hein ◽  
Heinrich Spiecker
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Models ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Fraxinus Excelsior ◽  
Radial Increment ◽  
Acer Pseudoplatanus ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Occlusion Time ◽  
Residual Variation ◽  
Dead Branch ◽  
Species Specific

The aim of this study was to develop models on branch characteristics for Fraxinus excelsior L. (common ash) and Acer pseudoplatanus L. (sycamore maple) based on 44 and 25 sample trees, respectively. A total of 635 ash and 334 maple branches were sampled. The data set on artificial pruning was pooled among the two species with a total of 71 branches from 16 trees. The material was used to predict (i) the time for a complete occlusion, (ii) the total radius of the occluded branch inside the trunk, (iii) the branch insertion angle, and (iv) the dead branch portion of the occluded branch. In addition, the effects of species and natural versus artificial pruning were assessed. Generalized hierarchical mixed models with univariate or multivariate approaches were used in this analysis. The diameter of the occluded branch and the stem radial increment played a dominant role as predictors. Artificial pruning led to a significant reduction in occlusion time and a shorter occluded branch radius. Only few species-specific differences were found. Simulations showed a reasonable overall behaviour of the models. The residual variation was tolerable for integrating the models into a growth simulation system.

scholarly journals Comparison of Genetic Diversity in Naturally Regenerated Norway Spruce Stands and Seed Orchard Progeny Trials

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dainis Ruņģis ◽  
Solveiga Luguza ◽  
Endijs Bāders ◽  
Vilnis Šķipars ◽  
Āris Jansons
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Gene Diversity ◽  
Seed Orchard ◽  
Seed Orchards ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Ssr Loci ◽  
Naturally Regenerated Stands ◽  
Average Gene ◽  
Environmental Events

Forest ecosystems in Europe are expected to experience changes in temperature and water regimes associated with increased risks of extreme environmental events and disasters. Genetic diversity and relatedness has been linked to resilience of forest stands and landscapes. Genetic diversity indicators were compared between a Norway spruce population naturally regenerated after extensive windthrow and Norway spruce progeny populations derived from two seed orchards. In addition, genetic diversity in an undisturbed stand in a long established national park and a spruce genetic resource stand were analyzed. Populations were genotyped at 11 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci. Average genetic diversity indicators were similar across populations. However, the total number of alleles, average number of alleles over all loci, effective number of alleles, average gene diversity, and average allelic richness were highest in the naturally regenerated population and lowest in one of the seed orchard progeny populations. The genetic diversity in progeny from seed orchards used for stand renewal is comparable to the genetic diversity in naturally regenerated stands. However, fluctuations in seed production between years can have a large impact on genetic diversity in seed orchard progeny. The use of improved Norway spruce germplasm deployed via clonal seed orchards for forest renewal can maintain similar levels of genetic diversity compared to naturally regenerated stands, while also increasing production and timber quality.

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