FLOWER INDUCTION TREATMENTS HAVE NO EFFECTS ON SEED TRAITS AND TRANSMISSION OF ALLELES IN PICEA-GLAUCA

Flower induction methods-hormone application or exposure to physiologi cal stress, or both-are used routinely for shortening breeding cycles and increasing seed production in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss). The objectives of this study were: (1) to evaluate the effects of flower induction on seed yield and quality in white spruce; and (2) to determine if flower induction treatments affect the maternal contr ibution to offspring. We assessed the effects of flower induction trea tments, which consisted of gibberellin A(4/7) (GA(4/7)) and naphthalen eacetic acid (NAA) stem injections, on allele segregation for 28 clone s, number of seeds per cone, number of sound seeds per cone, seed weig ht, and the germination rate of a subset of clones. Flower induction t reatments did not affect any of the phenotypic traits examined. No inc rease in segregation distortion in allozyme loci following flower indu ction treatments was observed.