Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Growth patterns of Slash and Caribbean Pine and their hybrids in Queensland

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Seasonal height and girth growth patterns of hybrids between Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var elliottii L. & D.) and Caribbean Pine (Pinus caribaea Mor. var hondurensis B. & G.) were compared with those of the parental species over one year at Beerwah Forest in southern coastal Queensland, Australia. The parental growth patterns differed markedly. Slash Pine had very vigorous early season growth, the rate then declined steadily through the later part of the season until the species entered winter dormancy. Caribbean Pine grew steadily throughout the year with late summer the most active period and winter the least. The hybrids combined the parental growth patterns with a consequent vigour advantage.

Slash Pine showed a high degree of stem to stem synchronization of height growth in the early season, but much less in the later part, whilst height growth of Caribbean Pine was totally asynchronous. The hybrid was intermediate in stem to stem synchronization.

The number of branch whorls produced by individual trees of Slash Pine on the main stem in the season 1965–1966 were found to be directly related to the length of the growing season for the tree concerned and also to the total height of the tree. Counts on trees at various centres in Queensland showed a decrease in branch whorl number per season with movement northwards suggesting a decrease in the length of the growing season of the species at lower latitudes. Possible physiological reasons for this are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, E., 1949. Introgressive hybridization. Wiley N.Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, F. A., 1956. Growth of Slash Pine plantations in the George Walton Experimental Forest. S.E. For. Exp. Stn US For. Ser. Pap. No. 66.

  • Gordon, J. C. & Larsen, P. R., 1968. Seasonal course of photosynthesis respiration and distribution of 14C in young Pinus resinosa trees as related to wood formation. Plant physiol. 43, 10. 1617–1624.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, D. S., 1962. Parameters of site for certain growth components of Slash Pine. Duke Univ. Sch. For. Bull. No. 16.

  • Jester, J. E. & Kramer, P. J., 1939. The effect of length of day on the height of certain forest tree seedlings. J. For. 37: 796–803.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozlowski, T. T., 1958. Water relations and the growth of trees. J. For. 56: 498–502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozlowski, T. T., 1962. Photosynthesis, climate and tree growth. In: T. T. Kozlowski (Ed.), Tree Growth, Ronald Press N.Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liming, F. G., 1957. Home-made dendrometers. J. For. 55: 575–577.

    Google Scholar 

  • McWilliam, J. R. and Richards, B. N., 1955. Caribbean Pine in Queensland, some notes on its behaviour and potentialities. Qd For. Ser. Res. Note No. 4.

  • Nikles, D. G., 1962. Tree breeding in Queensland 1957–1962. Paper presented to Eighth Brit. Commonw. For. Conf. E. Africa 1962.

  • Nikles, D. G., 1966. Progeny tests of Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) in Queensland, Australia. Proc. 8th Sth. Conf. For. Tree Imp., Macon, Ga. 1965.

  • Pegg, R. E., 1967. Relation of Slash Pine site index to soil vegetation and climate in south-east Queensland. Qd. Dept. For. Res. Note No. 19.

  • Slee, M. U., 1969. Height and girth growth of Slash-Caribbean hybrids in south Queensland. Proc. 2nd Wld Cons. For. Tree Breeding. FO-FTB-69-2/10.

  • Slee, M. U. & Nikles, D. G., 1967. Variability of Pinus caribaea Mor. in young Queensland plantations. Paper presented to 9th Brit. Commonw. For. Conf. New Delhi, India 1968.

  • Slee, M. U. & Reilly, J. J., 1970. Recent highlights of tree breeding in Queensland. Proc. 6th Wld. For. Congr. Madrid (1966) 3: 1773–1778.

    Google Scholar 

  • Squillace, A. E. & Kraus, J. F., 1959. Early results of a seed source study of Slash Pine in Georgia and Florida. Proc. fifth Sth. Conf. For. Tree Imp.

  • Wakeley, P. C. & Marrero, J., 1958. Five year intercept as site index in Southern Pine plantations. J. For. 56: 332–336 1958.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wareing, P. F., 1964. Tree physiology in relation to genetics and breeding. Unasylva 18: 73–74.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. M. U. Slee

    Present address: Department of Forestry, Australian National University, P.O. Box 4, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland Department of Forestry, Australia

    M. U. Slee

Authors
  1. M. U. Slee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Slee, M.U. Growth patterns of Slash and Caribbean Pine and their hybrids in Queensland. Euphytica 21, 129–142 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040558

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040558

Keywords

Search

Navigation