Evaluation of the variability of adaptive traits in 5-year-old silver fir progenies from provenances protected on conservation plots in the Carpathian Gene Bank

The paper presents the assessment of the adaptive traits (survival rate and height growth) of 5−year−old silver fir one year after planting on conservation plots of the Carpathian Gene Bank (KGB) located in the territory of Wisła, Andrychów, Sucha, Nowy Targ, Krościenko, Nawojowa, Rymanów oraz Bircza forest districts. The conducted studies showed a high (over 90%) survival rate of the tested fir provenances. The growth of the West Carpathian (Beskid Śląski, Beskid Żywiecki, and Beskid Mały) fir provenances was high on the majority of the KGB conservation plots, while the height growth of fir stands from the central part of the Carpathian Mountains (Beskid Wyspowy, Beskid Sądecki, and Beskid Niski) was on an average level. The East Carpathian (Pogórze, Słonne and Bieszczady Mountains) provenances were significantly diversified in terms of the height and did not form a homogenous group