Overview

Coastal Tree Breeding

• Coastal Douglas-fir
• Western redcedar
• Yellow cypress
• Sitka spruce
• Western white pine (coastal)
• Western hemlock

Interior Tree Breeding

• Interior spruce
• Interior Douglas-fir
• Western larch
• Lodgepole pine
• Western white pine (interior)

The western redcedar gene resource management program includes gene conservation, genecology, tree breeding and technical support. The following activities occurred over the last year:

Approximately 100 new parents from southern Oregon were cloned and established in the gene archives at Cowichan Lake Research Station. Besides contributing to the ex situ gene pool, these parents will also be included in the breeding and testing program.

Ten-year measurements of the open-pollinated progeny trials were collected and are currently being analysed. Seed was collected from approximately 300 polycross families from last spring's breeding, for a total of 750 families to date. An additional 250 coastal U.S. sources will be bred over the next two years.

To date, 25 progeny sites have been established testing over 450 polycrossed families. An additional 300 families will be established into trials over the next two to three years. All sites were maintained to minimise competing vegetation and deer browsing. Four nutrient-poor sites were fertilised last spring. The first series established in 1998 was measured for 5-year heights this fall. Breeding values have been officially released for 150 parents. The redcedar program has several additional genetic support studies which are of great interest, as it has several unique biological features not present in other tree species.

Selfing studies: Field trials comprising 15 F1 families and corresponding S1 and S2 families from 30 random and 30 select lines were established on three coastal sites. The study was designed to evaluate growth and adaptation differences due to genetic selection and inbreeding, and thus the feasibility of utilizing S1 and S2 families in a recurrent selection program. Stand volume originating from various proportions of selfed seed in a seedlot were simulated for different stacking and site indices. On average, for every 10% reduction in selfed seed, stand yield at 60 years is improved by 0.8%. These results will help to assign genetic worth to seedlots with reduced selfing.

Wood durability: Western redcedar trees were tested for enhanced natural durability by analysing wood cores for tropolones, in particular the thujaplicans, and correlated to weight loss in soil block tests. It is anticipated that wood durability measures will be developed for 300 clones by the end of this project.