Activities for the Improvement of

Forest Reproductive Material of

Douglas-fir in North-West Germany

Hans-Martin Rau

Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche Versuchsanstalt, Hann. Münden

Content

• Comparative tests with progenies from the origin and man made stands

• Typical results• Establisment of seed orchards• Establishment of future seed collection stands• Investigation of stands in respect to phenotypical or

genotypical characters• Silvicultural consequences• Status and objectives

1. National provenance trials

– 43 sites in Germany – in North-West Germany 29 sites– 37 provenances– plot size 1.000 m²– without replications

provenance trial from 1956

• IUFRO

sown 1970 and 1973

- 23 sites in Germany, 17 in NW-Germany

- 126 origins present on 1 up to 22 sites

- plot size 64 up to 296 m²

- 3 replications

• EUDIREC (B, D, E, F,GB) - in Germany 1 site only

- 3 provenances, 5 stands, 8 seed orchards

- plot size 144 m²

- 3 replications

2. International provenance trials

• 32 trials established between 1969 and 1995

• Material often a mixture of…

- provenances from the natural range (408)

- German stands (161)

- German seed orchards (6)

- single tree progenies (ca. 600)

- controlled pollinations (53)

- clones (351)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Volume / ha (percent of standard mean) at age 15

3. Other trials in NW-Germany

IUFRO Douglas-fir provenance experiment 1970assessment at age 27

volume per ha in % of special mean

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

mean min max

BC-N BC-NE Shusw. Lake

W-E BCcoast

Vanc. Isld.

Olymp. Penins.

Puget Sound

West. Casc.W.

East. Casc.W.

South. Casc.W.

CoastO.

West. Casc.O.

Cal.

10 3 22 6 7 10 7 5 12 9 5 3 2 3

n = number of progenies within each group

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

mean min max

IUFRO Douglas-fir provenance experiment Iassessment at age 27

straight trees in % of special mean

BC-N BC-NE Shusw. Lake

W-E BCcoast

Vanc. Isld.

Olymp. Penins.

Puget Sound

West. Casc.W.

East. Casc.W.

South. Casc.W.

CoastO.

West. Casc.O.

Cal.

10 3 22 6 7 10 7 5 12 9 5 3 2 3

n = number of progenies within each group

10 3 22 6 7 10 7 5 12 9 5 3 2 3

OKA

IUFRO Douglas-fir provenance experiment I

Trees with problematic bark (rough, soft, easy to remove) > 5 % of the trees problematic < 5 % of the trees problematicSurface of bark: rough

Testing German stands

volume / ha in % of special mean

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

44 31 19 22 29 26 35 12 10 28 40 2 14 47 27 43 6 21 38 33 15 25 16 8 52 23 18 51 17 48 54 49 42 37 39 32 13 30 1 3 45 24 53 4 7 36 20 50 9 5 34 41 46 11

Results at age 15 (dark columns stands approved as tested)

straight plants in % of special mean

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

27 42 31 21 36 10 45 16 48 23 52 40 20 35 54 14 28 11 29 30 38 32 6 12 53 43 22 4 33 47 19 9 51 13 41 44 1 46 50 24 3 26 8 25 34 2 37 5 49 17 39 7 15 18

Seed orchards

• Types of orchards 7 grafting seed orchards 8 cutting seed orchards 1 combined seed orchard

• Number of clones 45 – 683 • Sizes 1.5 – 12.6 ha

• Establishment 1971 - 1992

Photo: ASP Teisendorf

Future seed collection stands

• former trials later on used as seed collection stands

small plots bad progenies shall be removed

before approval

• stands especially established for seed collection purposes

10 well tested provenances 20 sites isolated from other Douglas-fir

stands > 2.0 ha

Investigation of stands by genetical means

Forest District Spangenberg, Dept. 302

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

6PGDH G6PDH IDH PGM

Interior Coast Block I Block II Block III

Block IV Block V Block VI Block VII

Phenotypical investigation of stands

Features• Discolouration of needles or

needlecast

• Heavy branchiness independent from spacing

• Stem crookedness

• Deeply fissured, soft and easily removable bark

• Resin flow without injuries

• High mortality

Silvicultural consequences

• Stands of problematic provenance should be reduced to a minimum

• The reqirements for a sustainable procurement with suitable seeds should be met

• Natural regeneration of maladapted stands should be stopped

Criteria NW-FVA Germ. Fed. Republic

active trials 40 ?

established since 1960 ?

no. of selected stands 827 2293

no. of tested stands 13 17

no. of qualified seed orchards

6 9

no. of tested seed orchardsnot approved seed orchards

1

9

1

?

Current status concerning Douglas-fir

0

500

1.000

1.500

2.000

2.500

1990/91 91/92 92/93 93/94 94/95 95/96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08

8530185302853038530485305Other regions / categories

Regions of provenance:

For selected category

kg

Amount of annually collected seeds Douglas-fir

Recommended „breeding zones“ of DFRegion of provenanceForest district / Dept.

Significantly superior in…… Breeding zone

Nordostdeutsches Tiefland außer Schleswig Holstein

LFA – FA Schildfeld 3051 a4 / a5 growthBB, MV, SH, 853 01 NI, 853 03 SN, 853 06 (< 400 m asl.) SN

Mittel- und Ostdeutsches Tief- und Hügelland

Amt f. Forstwirtsch. Templin, Stadtw. Lychen 6 a2 growthBB, ST, 853 03 SN, 853 06 (< 400 m asl.) SN

West- und Süddeutsches Hügel- und Bergland sowie Alpen, kolline Stufe

FA Arnsberger Wald 323 D growth 853 04 BY, 853 04/05 NW

v. Baumbach-Frielingen 21 C growth BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Jossgrund 96 A u. 97 1 growth BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Jossgrund 1225 A 0 growth BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Melsungen 1467 A 0 growth, straightness BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Michelstadt 17 13 growth, fine branches BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Michelstadt Stadt Breuberg 21 B growth, straightness BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Romrod 1005 A 2 growth BW,BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Romrod 1080 B 2 growth BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Weilmünster Gemd. Weinbach 116 A 0 growth, straightness BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Weilmünster Gemd. Weinbach 613 A 0 growth, straightness BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Weilrod 1043 A 2 growth, resistance to needle cast BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

FA Hürtgenwald 819 B growth BW, BY, HE, NI, SH, ST

Regions of provenance Forest district / Dept.

Significantly superior in…… Breeding zone

West- und SüddeutschesHügel- und Bergland sowie Alpen, montane Stufe

FA Frankenberg 1128 B 0 growth BW, HE, 853 04/05 BY ,Bergland von NI und ST

FA Königstein 2304 C 1 growth, straightness BW, HE, 853 04/05 BY ,Bergland von NI und ST

FA Hochwald growth BW, HE, 853 04/05 BY ,Bergland von NI und ST

Nordwestdeutsches Tiefland mit Schleswig-Holstein

Seed orchard „Humptulips „NFA Harsefeld 42 b growth BB, HE, NI, SH, 853 04/ 05 BY

Südostdeutsches Hügel- und Bergland

Intraspecific combination „Tharandt I“

FoB Bärenfels, viridis x glauca (Tharandt Zucht-Nr. 23 x NLP, Lohmen Zucht-Nr. 84)

growth, frost resistance 853 03 SN, 853 06 SN

Intraspecific combination „Tharandt IV“

FoB Bärenfels, viridis x glauca , (Tharandt Zucht-Nr. 24 x NLP, Lohmen Zucht-Nr. 84)

growth, frost resistance 853 03 SN, 853 06 SN

Recommended „breeding zones“ of DF

Regions of provenances of DF

Figure acc. to BLE (2006)

Conclusions

• Douglas-fir is one of the most intensively investigated tree species in respect to provenance research and progeny testing

• In addition many efforts are made to secure future seed procurement ( tested seed collection stands, seed orchards,…)

• More and more approved seed collection stands but also normal stands will be checked according to phenotypical and genotypical features

• Currently there is no interest in further selection processes