PARENTAL ENVIRONMENT AFTEREFFECTS ON GERMINATION, GROWTH, AND ADAPTIVE TRAITS IN SELECTED WHITE SPRUCE FAMILIES

Seed orchards for the production of conifer seed in British Columbia a re usually located in areas favorable (warm and dry) for flowering and seed development, often considerably south of the source location of the parent trees. Differences in environmental conditions between seed orchard location and location of origin can affect progeny performanc e. It is suspected that this is caused by environmental factors that a ffect reproductive processes of parent trees and lead to altered physi ological traits (aftereffects). This study examined if aftereffects ar e present in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss). Control pollin ations were made at two locations, Red Rock, near Prince George (53 de grees N) in central British Columbia, and Kalamalka, near Vernon (50 d egrees N) in southern British Columbia, on five female trees using a f our-male polymix. Identical genotypes through grafting were present at the two locations. Pollen maturing at each site was only used in the polymix at that particular location. Progeny were raised and germinati on traits, number of needle primordia, greenhouse and field heights, a nd frost hardiness were evaluated in a common environment. The locatio n of seed development significantly affected all traits evaluated. Hei ght growth aftereffects in the second field season were much less than those observed in the first field season. These results suggest that aftereffects are detectable in white spruce progeny performance in Bri tish Columbia.