Resistance of Pinus Sibirica clones to insect conobionts in the Yelbashinsky nursery of JSC «Berdsky forestry» in Novosibirsk region

Abstract

The inter-clonal variability of Siberian cedar in resistance to insect conobionts was studied. The authors revealed that the main pests of cones and seeds are cone moth Dioryctria abietella Schiff and giant cone moth Eupithecia abietaria Goeze in the archives of plus-tree clones of Novosibirsk region (Yelbashinsky Nursery of JSC «Berdsky forestry», Iskitimsky district). The moth’s infestation of buds was 23.4%, and the infestation of buds by the moth was 2.0%. Selection of cedar for resistance to cone moths can be an effective way to increase yield at breeding and seed production facilities of this breed based on the study of inter-clonal variability in the degree of cone moth damage and other traits. Selection for resistance to cone moth disease will not significantly change stem wood produc- tivity due to the absence of a reliable interclonal correlation between the degree of cone damage and tree size. The authors described the result of the findings of the inter-clone correlation, consisting of a significant positive correlation between cone size and «granularity» and stem height and diameter. This result was against the background of the complete absence of any correlation between cone damage by conobionts and tree and cone size. The authors also concluded that selection for stem wood productivity in cedar would be accompanied by an increase in cone size and «granularity» (and vice versa), while selection for resistance to conobionts will not lead to significant changes in other vegetative and generative traits.