Removal of Competition Bias from Forest Genetics Experiments

Abstract

Estimates of genetic gains and of juvenile-mature correlations in small-plot breeding experiments may be inflated because trees that grow rapidly early continue to be the largest trees, and trees that begin slowly usually stay small. A procedure which takes missing trees, relative sizes and distances between competing trees, and the intensity of competition into consideration was used to adjust diameter measurements in small-plot cottonwood clonal breeding experiments. The F ratio of clone to error mean square was increased and predicted genotypic gain was decreased.

Citation

Cooper, D. T.; Ferguson, Robert B. 1977. Removal of Competition Bias from Forest Genetics Experiments. In: Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference 14:70-77.