Genetic variation in height and diameter of tamarack (Larix Laricina) and their correlation with syllepsis

Abstract

The broad sense heritability of total height, annual height increment, diameter, volume index and syllepsis of II provenances of tamarack in northwestern Ontario were examined. Genetic and Pearson Product Moment correlations among these characters were also examined. Broad sense heritability ranged from O.I3 at age three to 0.36 at age 11 for total height among provenances. Broad sense heritability within individual provenances generally increased from age three to age II but showed no geographic trend. Genetic age-age correlation between total height at ages three and 1I was 0.61. Number of sylleptic long shoots at age three and four correlated better with height at age II than height at the early ages. Good correlation between height and diameter suggests that both height and diameter could be improved by selecting for total height.