Background and Objective

The objective of this project is to investigate the possibilities of crossbreeding for improvement of growth, stability, and adaptability especially regarding climate change and its consequences for genetic constitution and diversity. Furthermore parameters of quantitative genetics like heritability shall be estimated and gene markers detected.

Approach

Object of the investigation are progeny tests of Scots pine and trials with hybrids between European and Japanese larch.

Results

Results of older progeny tests showed the possibility to improvement growth and quality and to combine both traits together positively by means of cross breeding. Genetic constitution and combining ability of selected parent trees may vary considerably.

For larch the outstanding growth performance of hybrid larch was confirmed due to the results of the progeny tests. Superiority of hybrid progenies was between 20 and 30 % vor single tree volume.