REGIONAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION OF SEED PROPERTIES OF CHINESE FIR SEED ORCHARDS
- Received Date: 1988-05-20
- Available Online: 2012-12-04
Abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the variation pattern in seed properties of seed orchards of Chinese fir.Seed samples were taken from 70 seed orchards established at different locations throughout its natural range.The three properties,namely germination rate,percentage of death seed and absolute seed weight,were assessed during 1981-1983,and 1986.The results showed that referring to properties studied,year-to-year and orchard-to-orchard variations were exhibited.The seed weight often decreases with the decrease of longitude,where the seedlots came from.The variation of the other two properties showed the ecotypical (or regional) patterns,no clinal ones.The variation pattern of germination rate closely paralleled the pattern of death seed,bul there was negative relation between these two variables.This finding has been made to help the tree breeders know where the optimum regions are to establish seed orchard of Chinese fir.