A study on the geographic variation and selection of the best provenance ofLarix olgensis

On the basis of the results from the geographic provenance test of nine years oldlarix olgensis in Liangshui Natural Reserve of our university, a study on the geographic varition and the primary selection of the best provenance ofLarix olgensis was carried out. The main results are as follows: I.The different provenances ofLarix olgensis have rich and wide genetic variation, and exist a linear correlation with latitude and longitude in collection area. General trends are enumerated below: Provenances at lower latitude and more west longitude have lighter thousand seed weight, short growth period, higher increment, wide branches, rich leaves and crown as well as worst adaptabillity. It is a dual-way variation along with two directions of latitude and longitude, and also embodies a change gradually in climate condition from south to north. The temperatures in seed production site, especially the mean temperature in January and ≥10 °C accumulated temperature, are important factors that produce geographic variation forlarix olgensis. 2. The variation of different provenances in periodic biological phenomena and growth rhythm trends are that: 1 both of the provenances from Changbai Mt. (III) and Dashitou(IV) at low latitude belong to the centralized growth type, and have shout growth period, the difference between these two provenances is that the provenance from Changbai Mt. grows well in all time, Dashitou provennce is well only in later period; 2 the provenance from Baidao Mt. (II) at middle latitude belongs to even growth type and has longer grpwth period, this provenance has higher increment in early and later periods relatively; 3 Xiaobeihu provenance at high latitude is a growth type among II. III and IV provenances and has a general growth period, the provenance grows better in middle time and worse in later time. 3. The best provenance in Liangshui Natural Reserve and its meighbourhood is Dashitou Procenance, which growth in height, diameter and volume has exceeded 16. 28%, 46. 27%, 30. 58%, 78. 20, 82. 00% as well as 392. 00% by comparison with the mean value of the contrast and the worst provenance respectively, The result from the height growth of three, five, seven and nine years oldLarix olgensis by using the method of order correlation analysis demonstrates that it is possible to make early selection of the provenance. Meanwhile, data from juvenile and mature oflarix olgensis plantation also prove the reliability of the early selection. 4. The provenance heritabilities of nine years oldlarix olgensis in Liangshui Natural Reserve are follows: The heritability of the height growth (h²) is 0.79; The heritability of the diameter breast height (h²) is 0.791; The geretic gain is 24.5% and 40.36% respectively.