Intracone variation explains most of the variance in Picea abies seed weight: implications for seed sorting

Abstract

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seed is collected from both forest stands after final felling and from seed orchards. To produce high-germinability seed lots that are easy to use in nursery sowing machines, empty, insect-damaged, and other poor-quality seeds are culled. Sorting is done typically by weight or size. Previous studies of conifer seed have indicated wide variation in seed weight between individual trees or clones. However, the intratree or intraclone variations have rarely been taken into account, and intracone variation in seed weight has not been examined. We collected cones from a forest stand and from a clonal seed orchard in central Finland. Each seed from each cone was extracted, weighed, and x-rayed to assess their quality. Trees and clones differed in terms of the proportions of different quality seed. Variance component analysis showed that the intracone variation explained a larger proportion of the total variation in seed weight than did the intercone/intertree or interclone variations. Thus weight-based seed sorting has less effect on the genetic diversity of a seed lot than previously believed. We also conclude that the large differences in proportion of full seed among trees and clones impact the contribution of genotypes in seed and, eventually, in seedling lots.