Estimation of genetic gain and diversity under various genetic thinning scenarios in a breeding seed orchard of Quercus acutissima

Abstract

Genetic gain and diversity were estimated based on three simulated thinning scenarios at various thinning intensities in a breeding seed orchard of Quercus acutissima. The seed orchard was composed of 32 families with 744 individual trees with volume at age 15. The three thinning scenarios were individual thinning (IT) which thinning was based on the individual performance, family thinning (FT) with the removal of inferior families regardless of individual performance, and family + within family thinning (FWF) with family first and then individual from inferior families. The genetic gain was estimated based on stem volume. Expected genetic gain (volume at age 15) under IT was higher than FT and FWF at all thinning intensities. The FWF provided higher genetic gain than FT but lower than IT. The FT gave the lowest genetic gain compared to the other thinning scenarios at all thinning intensities. The loss of gene diversity (GD), estimated by coancestry and family size, was higher under FWF and lower under FT at moderate thinning intensities. The study showed that genetic gain estimation and GD loss were inversely coupled. The IT gave highest genetic gain but lowest GD at the highest thinning intensity.