| Abstract: | Cuttings were made from six‐year‐old seedlings of Picea abies L. (Karst.) that had been studied in the Stockholm phytotron. The seedlings belonged to four full‐sib families, one being of French origin, one of North‐Swedish origin and two being hybrids between parents of North‐Swedish and French origin. Nine clones from each family were included. After the rooting phase, the cuttings were exposed to the same cultivation regimes as the seedling ortets. Characteristics of growth rhythm, percentage free growth and leader length were recorded during the 2nd to the 5th growth period (GP). Plagiotropic growth habit was recorded in the 3rd to the 5th growth period, and, characteristics of the rooting phase were studied. A juvenile behaviour very similar to that characterizing growth periods 2–3 of the seedlings was observed for growth rhythm characteristics and for free growth capacity during GP2 of the cuttings. The absolute value of the differences between each observation of the seedling ortets in GP6 and the means of the cuttings in GP2 produced a new variable that quantified the degree of rejuvenation. This new variable was meaningfully calculated only for growth rhythm and growth pattern variables. A gradual reversion of the growth rhythm occurred for the cuttings, which corresponded to the change with increasing age for the seedlings. The capacity for free growth, on the contrary, disappeared already in GP3 for the cuttings, except for the French family. A large variation in the rejuvenation ability between families was observed. Furthermore, the rejuvenation ability was negatively correlated with the ability to grow plagiotropically. |
