WOOD ANATOMICAL STUDIES OF CLONED SPRUCE TREES FUMIGATED WITH SULFUR-DIOXIDE

The wood anatomy was studied of 180 young spruce trees of 30 clones fu migated with SO2. The resulting data were assessed using rank correlat ion statistics, factor analysis and analysis of variance. In the year before fumigation none of the measured characteristics showed any corr elation with the degree by which clones were damaged after fumigation. Genetic effects were assessed to be responsible for 65% of latewood w idth variation prior to fumigation. In the treatment year as well as i n the subsequent year there was a correlation between some of the char acteristics measured and the degree of damage, and in the same period genetic influences accounted for only 10% of latewood width variation. Two years after fumigation no correlations between the measured wood anatomical characteristics and the degree of damage could be detected.