Twenty-two year results of a scot pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) provenance test in North Dakota

Abstract

A provenance test of 49 seed sources of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) from eastern Europe, Russia, and Siberia was established in two plantations in north-central North Dakota. After 22 years, trees from seed sources within the region bounded by 20° to 57° east longitude and 50° to 58° north latitude were taller, and larger in diameter, and had denser crown and greener winter foliage. Total height at age 5 and age 10 was highly correlated with total height at age 22, indicating that selection at an early age (5-10 years) may be possible in Scots pine breeding programs.