3 PINUS RADIATA SELECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS OF NEW ZEALAND DIFFER IN BRANCH HABIT, FORM, AND GROWTH RATE

The North American provenances of Pinus radiata D. Don show differences in growth and form when grown in common-garden trials, but little has been reported on differentiation into regional land races as an exotic. Data at age 8 years from two large trials, each with progenies of plus-tree selections from different regions in New Zealand, were analysed for various traits. The first trial ("850") had polycross progenies of 109 parent clones, selected between 1950 and 1967 and belonging to six regional selection groups, and was planted on six sites in 1975. The second ("888") had 329 open-pollinated progenies, from 279 plus-trees selected in 1988 in six distinct regions and from clones in a Chilean seed orchard. This trial was planted on three sites in 1989. In the "888 " trial there were significant differences among seed sources for every trait except needle retention at all sites and malformation at one of the sites. The Tarawera source had the highest branch cluster frequency score, needle retention score, malformation score (least malformation), and percentage of acceptable stems. The Southland and Nelson sources had low branch cluster frequency scores. Branch cluster frequency scor