SURVIVAL, GROWTH TRENDS AND GENETIC GAINS IN 17-YEAR OLD PICEA-ABIES CLONES AT 7 TEST SITES

Rooted cuttings (stecklings) from 40 different clones, and seedlings f rom one seed source of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. KARST.) were plan ted on 7 contrasting test sites in northern Germany. Survival rates an d total heights (Ht) were observed at ages 3, 5, 8, 10, 13 and 17 year s. Diameters at breast height (dbh) were also measured at age 17. Test site means for survival rate ranged from 81% to 95%, except site Katt enbuhl (73%). About 70% of all deaths on the test sites occured within the first four growing seasons after outplanting. Clones taller in nu rsery tended to show higher death rates in the early years in the fiel d than Shorter clones. There were significant differences among the te st sites in survival rates, but no rank interactions over the years. S eedlings and stecklings from the same origin (i.e. Westerhof) showed s imilar survival rates at all the test sites. Stecklings planted on low elevation test sites showed better Ht performance than those at high elevation test sites (at age 17 years avg Ht at Syke 826 cm, at Lauten thal 492 cm). Overall means for Ht, dbh and volume index (VI) were 648 cm, 88 mm and 48.9 dm(3), respectively. Both the test sites and clone s showed statistically significant differences in Ht, dbh and VI value s. There were also significant clone x site interactions. Overall stec kling Ht and VI values were larger than those of seedlings, relative d ifference being 11% and 37%, respectively, at age 17 years. Steckling heights at nursery were not reliable enough to predict future field pe rformances. Broad sense heritabilities for Ht was 0.14, and for dbh wa s 0.13 at age 17 years. When 20% of the clones (8 clones out of 40) we re selected, expected genetic gain in Ht is about 10.0%, in VI it is 3 3.0%.