Liam Donnelly, Sven-Olof Lundqvist, Conor O’Reilly. (2017). Inter- and intra-annual wood property variation in juvenile wood between six Sitka spruce clones. Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 4 article id 7728. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.7728

Keywords: productivity; wood properties; Picea sitchensis; clonal forestry; selective breeding; stem height

Highlights: Wood property differences resulted primarily from variation in the proportions of early- and latewood in each annual ring; Width of early- and latewood bands in each ring was found to be a more important determinant of juvenile wood quality than the characteristics of the cells within each band; Wood properties differed greatly between clones, suggesting that there is potential to improve juvenile wood properties through selective breeding.

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Increased growth rates have reduced rotation lengths, increasing the proportion of juvenile wood relative to mature wood, which may negatively affect mechanical performance of sawn timber. However, there is limited information available on the potential impact of breeding for vigour on juvenile wood in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière). In this study, the relationship between vigour (based on total height) and wood properties was investigated in six-year-old Sitka spruce clones grown in two replicated field trials in Ireland. Six clones were evaluated, two clones from each of three vigour (high, intermediate and low) classes. Discs were cut from the base of one ramet per replication for each clone to assess wood quality attributes. Radial tracheid width was significantly and positively correlated with ring width and height, and was negatively correlated with density. The wood of the most vigorous clone had significantly larger ring width with thinner cell walls and wider tracheids than all clones in the two other vigour classes, resulting in lower mean wood density. Latewood properties for all wood attributes measured differed significantly between the two sites. Wood property differences resulted primarily from variation in the proportions of early- and latewood in each annual ring. Additionally, the width of early- and latewood bands in each ring was found to be a more important determinant of juvenile wood quality than the characteristics of the cells within each band. Wood properties differed greatly between clones, suggesting that there is potential to improve juvenile wood properties through selective breeding.

Donnelly, UCD Forestry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland E-mail: liam.donnelly@ucdconnect.ie
Lundqvist, Innventia Ab, Drottning Kristinas väg 61, SE-114 86 Stockholm, Sweden E-mail: svenolof.lundqvist@innventia.com
O’Reilly, UCD Forestry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland E-mail: conor.oreilly@ucd.ie

article id 1714, category Research article

Liam Donnelly, Olga M. Grant, Conor O’Reilly. (2017). Effect of deployment-type on stem growth, biomass partitioning and crown characteristics of juvenile Sitka spruce clones. Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 1 article id 1714. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1714

Keywords: productivity; Picea sitchensis; biomass partitioning; clones; deployment-type

Highlights: Deployment x clone interactions reduced tree height and diameter growth in mixed plots for one clone; Height and diameter heterogeneity was significantly greater in mixed plots; Deployment-type significantly altered relationships between crown variables and competition was more asymmetric in mixed plots compared to monoclonal.

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Competitive interactions in clonal forestry are not well understood and this needs to be addressed to develop better deployment strategies. Eight juvenile Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carriére) clones were grown in monoclonal and clonal mixtures in a field experiment for three years to assess the effects of genetic diversity on shoot growth, above- and below-ground biomass partitioning and crown characteristics. Shoot elongation was measured throughout the growing season, while diameter was measured twice annually in May and December. After the third year, crown silhouette area was estimated from digitised images for one ramet per plot and ramets were then destructively harvested. Deployment × clone interactions were observed for tree height and diameter with reductions observed in mixed plots. Mixed plots had significantly greater height and diameter heterogeneity and more asymmetrical competition than monoclonal plots. Results from this study demonstrate that stem growth can be significantly altered when clones are planted in multi-clonal mixtures but for most clones, deployment-type will not significantly reduce their productivity.

Donnelly, UCD Forestry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland E-mail: liam.donnelly@ucdconnect.ie
Grant, UCD Forestry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland E-mail: olga.grant@ucd.ie
O’Reilly, UCD Forestry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland E-mail: conor.oreilly@ucd.ie

article id 281, category Research article

Florence Renou-Wilson, Edward P. Farrell. (2007). The use of foliage and soil information for managing the nutrition of Sitka and Norway spruce on cutaway peatlands. Silva Fennica vol. 41 no. 3 article id 281. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.281

Keywords: fertilization; Picea abies; foliar analysis; long-term trend; Picea sitchensis; cutaway peatland

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This investigation focuses on the development and nutrient status of the first Sitka spruce and Norway spruce stands established on milled cutaway peatlands in Ireland in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Phosphatic fertilization at planting is critical for the establishment of trees on cutaway peatlands but may not be sufficient to see the stands close canopy. Results from this study indicate the likely demand for P and N fertilizer during the rotation of these plantations. During the ten-year-study period (1994–2004), the nutrient status of both Norway and Sitka spruce stands deteriorated with the passage of time. Twenty-seven out of the twenty-eight examined stands became P deficient before 10 years old and half of the plots were N deficient within 13 to 15 years. Sitka spruce stands became N and P deficient earlier than Norway spruce. Regardless of species, tree stands growing on Sphagnum peat entered the critical N deficiency threshold sooner and were all severely deficient by 2004 compared to 22% of the trees growing on Phragmites peat. The effects of aerial re-fertilization were also site specific and although P deficiency was cured, the trees were likely to suffer from nutrient imbalance (N and Cu especially). These results demand a change of standard fertilization practices, which should be related more specifically to peat type and species requirements. Peat type identification and foliar analysis monitoring should become standard management tools while the long-term continuous monitoring of these new forests would be very valuable throughout their first rotation.

Renou-Wilson, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland E-mail: frw@nn.ie
Farrell, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland E-mail: epf@nn.ie

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