The influence of seed source origin and phenological characteristics on wood quality in a young Douglas-Fir Provenance Plantation

Graduation date: 1978The relationships of several wood quality traits with seed origin\ud and phenological characteristics, measured at a young age, were\ud tested from six seed sources in a young Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga\ud menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) provenance plantation. The wood quality\ud traits measured were wood density, uniformity of wood density,\ud percentage latewood, fiber length, Runkel ratio, and holocellulose\ud content. Data for each seed source concerning the phenological characteristics\ud of bud bursting time, bud set time, and needle length\ud during the second growing season, were obtained from an earlier\ud study. Seed origin data concerning the latitude and elevation of each\ud seed source were also obtained from an earlier study. As an estimate\ud of mature wood properties the outer three annual rings (most samples\ud contained ten rings) away from the pith were used. It was hoped\ud that these relationships would show possible predictors of mature wood\ud properties from young seedlings. Such predictors could be used as\ud selection criteria for out planting seedlings with desired wood properties\ud or as early indicators of the genetic influence on wood properties\ud in genetic experiments.\ud The overall average wood density, uniformity of wood density,\ud percentage latewood, and annual ring width were measured for each\ud of the six seed sources. These measurements were used to test the\ud influence of seed origin or phenological characteristics (measured at\ud age two) on juvenile wood formation. These same traits were\ud measured ring by ring, from pith to bark, in each of the seed sources\ud in an attempt to explain some of the results encountered.\ud The latitude of seed source origin showed a significant relationship\ud with mature wood fiber length indicating strong genetic control.\ud Time of bud set appeared to have an influence on holocellulose content\ud in mature wood. Needle length showed a significant negative\ud correlation with average wood density but not mature wood density,\ud indicating it may have some influence on wood formation but may not\ud be used as a predictor of future wood properties. From the variation\ud patterns in wood density, uniformity of wood density, percentage\ud latewood, and ring width from pith to bark it appeared that a possible\ud relationship between wood formation and crown-development may\ud exist