Early field performance of breeds of radiata pine on fertile sites in north-east Victoria.  L. A. Pederick and I. R. Bail.  May 1992.  11pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

Seedlings of a special breed of radiata pine developed to reduce the incidence and severity of stem deformity on fertile sites in north-east Victoria were planted in a replicated Australasian Breeds Trial near Myrtleford, and in a demonstration trial containing some of the Australasian breeds and some cuttings near Mitta Mitta. At age 3½ years on both sites, the stem form of the trees of the special breed was only average, whereas it had been expected it would be superior.

The reason for the poorer than expected stem form of the special breed is attributed to one component of the seedlot forming the breed, i.e. to the predominant proportion of the seedlot derived from clone 30030. The other components of the breed, derived from clones 51033 and 51036, have continued to perform well. Future propagation of cuttings for fertile sites should be continued with material derived from 51033 and 51036, but discontinued with material derived from 30030.

At both sites, progeny of the DCE seed orchards (Korweinguboora and Lal Lal) grew quite vigorously, but stem form was inferior to that of most other breeds.

The best breed on the basis of early growth rate and stem form appears to be that from the top 10 clones from the New Zealand seed orchard, NZ 875.

In general, the Australian first generation seed orchards performed as well as the New Zealand breeds for growth rate. However, the trees are still very young and the results may not yet reflect any real differences between genetic potential of the breeds.

Among the New Zealand breeds, however, the lots derived from selected 'top' clones in an orchard were in all four cases better than the lots representing a mix of all clones in the same orchards.