Parental environment aftereffects on germination, growth, and adaptive traits in selected white spruce families

Abstract

Seed orchards for the production of conifer seed in British Columbia are usually located in areas favorable (warm and dry) for flowering and seed development, often considerably south of the source location of the parent trees. Differences in environmental conditions between seed orchard location and location of origin can affect progeny performance. It is suspected that this is caused by environmental factors that affect reproductive processes of parent trees and lead to altered physiological traits (aftereffects). This study examined if aftereffects are present in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss). Control pollinations were made at two locations, Red Rock, near Prince George (53°N) in central British Columbia, and Kalamalka, near Vernon (50°N) in southern British Columbia, on five female trees using a four-male polymix. Identical genotypes through grafting were present at the two locations. Pollen maturing at each site was only used in the polymix at that particular location. Progeny were raised and germination traits, number of needle primordia, greenhouse and field heights, and frost hardiness were evaluated in a common environment. The location of seed development significantly affected all traits evaluated. Height growth aftereffects in the second field season were much less than those observed in the first field season. These results suggest that aftereffects are detectable in white spruce progeny performance in British Columbia.