Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) Provenanve and Progeny Performance in Oklahoma

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-three open-pollinated families from 38 stands of Virginia pine were tested in Oklahoma. Height and survival data at age 5 for two Christmas tree plantations and at age 5 and 7 for two progenytest plantations were analyzed In the Christmas tree tests, four stands from North Carolina, three from Tennessee, and one each from Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Virginia were identified as good seed sources for Christmas tree production. The progeny test analyses identified two start from each of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia, and one each from Kentucky and South Carolina as good seed sources based on age 7 data. One standfrom each of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee were exceptional in both test types. Significant family in stand differences for both height and survival suggests that selection of the best families in the best stands will be an important component of improvement of Virginia pine for Christmas tree production. Based on both height and survival data, and a regression of height on average yearly minimum temperature at the source, the best petforming sources and families were from North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, northern South Carolina, southern Virginia, andsoutheast Kentucky, all located near or between minimum temperature isotherms of 0º and 5ºF. These sources are recommended for use in Oklahoma.

Citation

Tauer, C.G.; Shah, Syeyd Rashid Hussain; Schmidtling, Ronald C. 1998. Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) Provenanve and Progeny Performance in Oklahoma. SJAF 22(4) 1998