Variation in Floral Phenological Synchronization in a Clonal Seed Orchard of Pinus tabuliformis in Northeast of China

Abstract

Abstract Flowering phenology in an orchard is a crucial factor affecting the gene exchange among clones and consequently changing genetic composition of the seed crop. Pinus tabuliformis is now at the crucial period from first generation clonal seed orchards to advanced generation seed orchards in China. In this study, variation and stability in floral phenological synchronization of all the clones and possible mating pairs, in terms of an index of phenological overlap, were observed in a first generation clonal seed orchard which located in northeast of China. Results showed that significant variations occurred in the clones and mating pairs. This kind of variation was apparently related with temperature and humidity of the research site. With increasing age, levels of flowering synchronization were likely to rise in the clones and mating pairs. In general, the average flowering synchronization of male parents was slightly higher than that of female parents, female management in a seed orchard should be paied more attention. Flowering time was under strong genetic control and this genetic control was stronger in the female flowering process than of the males in terms of board sense heritability and year to year correlation analysis. Flowering synchronization of female parents was positively correlated between most years and can be a reliable reference for early and late predication in Pinus tabuliformis seed orchard during stage of initial seed harvest to stable seed production. According to their average levels of flowering synchronization, 49 clones in the first generation clonal seed orchard were divided into 11 different groups. Results of this paper provided the basic information for first generation seed orchard management and advanced seed orchard establishment of Pinus tabuliformis.