GROWTH-PERFORMANCE AND WOOD CHARACTERISTICS OF 5 PINUS-CONTORTA PROGENIES

In a 36-year old test plantation progenies of 5 open pollinated single trees of Pinus contorta DOUGLAS ex LOUDON from Washington (USA) and B ritish Columbia (Canada) were investigated on a site in northern Germa ny. Several traits were measured or assessed in various years regardin g height and diameter growth, branching, fresh weight of biomass as we ll as some wood characteristics as wood density, annual ring width, la te wood percentage and content of soluble substances in the wood. In g eneral, the differences between the progenies were small and not signi ficant, although individual variation between the trees was found. The results correspond very well with the performance and wood traits of Pinus sylvestris L. trees of about the same age and on a comparable si te.