Growth and survival among the 8-year-old progeny of permanent seed stands of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) in Testing Region I

The programme of testing the progeny of permanent seed stands, parent trees, seed orchards and seedling seed orchards that has been run in Poland enables to determine the genetic value and silvicultural quality of the progeny of components of primary forest material. A better knowledge of population variability and adaptability to particular environmental conditions also allows for the updating and verification of principles regarding the use of the seed base in testing regions, as well as the determination of possibility for forest reproductive material to be transferred. The article presents the research on assessment of survival and growth among progeny from 26 permanent seed stands of silver fir that originates from Lublin, Radom and Łódź Regional Directorates of the State Forests, at four testing grounds located in the Kielce, Suchedniów, Tomaszów and Zwierzyniec forest districts. Each research plot was founded with 4 replicates, each with 3−year−old saplings. After 5 years of growth, mean rates of survival ranged from 70.4% at the Kielce site to92.7% in Tomaszów. The lowest survival rate (30.5%) was noted for local origin (Starachowice), while the highest (93.8%) characterised the local standard from Zwierzyniec. Mean height varied from 54.1 cm in the case of the Suchedniów to 80.0 cm in the case of Tomaszów, albeit with the shortest firs originating from the Starachowice local standard and the tallest from the Tomaszów local standard. Analysis of variance components revealed that the environmental conditions (described by study area) played major role in shaping the variability. This effect was responsible for around 75% of the variance in height and 60% of that relating to survival. In contrast, origin (genetic factor) was most likely responsible for 7% of the noted variance in height or 4% of that relating to survival