Abstract
The number of fertile and infertile scales, filled and empty seeds, cone volume, seed efficiency and the incidence of insect and disease damage to seed were evaluated for seven jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb) and six black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) seedling seed orchards in northern Ontario, Canada. On average, the seed potential of jack pine and black spruce cones was 50 and 82 seeds, respectively. Cone volume and the number of fertile scales were under strong genetic control and well correlated with one another for both species. Seed efficiency values were high for jack pine (60%) but poor for black spruce (24%). The incidence of seed insect damage was less than 2.5% for both species and nil for seed diseases.
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De Groot, P., Schnekenburger, F. Cone traits of jack pine and black spruce in young seedling seed orchards. New Forest 12, 279–291 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027936
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027936