Elemental concentrations as a means of early evaluation of open-pollinated families of loblolly pine

Abstract

This study was initiated to evaluate elemental concentrations, and seedling traits measured in the greenhouse and in the field for use with early testing programs. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was employed to determine the elements present and their concentration. The experimental population was established from two subpopulations: one containing half-sib families with a potential for fast growth and the other containing half-sib families with a potential for slow growth. In wood of 15-year-old half-sibs families 23 elements were detected, and 17 elements were detected in the wood of one-year-old half-sib seedlings. The elemental concentrations with exception of manganese were all high in wood of slow-growing 15-year-old families; however, these differences were statistically significant for only aluminum and lanthanum. The wood of one-year-old seedlings from slow-growing families was found to contain higher concentrations of aluminum, bromine, chlorine, sodium and zinc, and lower concentrations of calcium, magnesium. Manganese and potassium than wood of fast-growing families. These differences were statistically significant for calcium and potassium only. Comparison of the intraclass correlations for elements identified in wood of one-year-old seedlings with those of 15-year height, 15-year dbh and specific gravity suggested that some degree of genetic control may operate for elemental concentration. Relationships between seedling traits measured in the greenhouse and traits measured at age 15 were found to be negative implying that the growth of a family under greenhouse conditions may not parallel the growth of that family in the field..