Shoot morphology and shoot growth potential in 1-year-old Scots pine seedlings

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Abstract
When seedlings of a single seed source of Scots pine (Pinussylvestris L.) were raised for 26 weeks in a naturally lit, heated greenhouse, two types of shoot morphology were observed. Type 1 was that normally found in 1-year-old seedlings. Type 2 had a shoot morphology similar to that of seedlings raised outdoors for two growing seasons. When compared with type 1 plants, type 2 plants had an earlier start to shoot elongation, set their buds earlier, and stopped shoot elongation sooner. After one growing season, type 2 plants were shorter, had fewer stem units for shoot elongation in the second season, but carried a greater foliage biomass than 1-year-old type plants. After two seasons they remained shorter. Thus, plant rearing practices which result in the production of seedlings with this type of shoot morphology arc undesirable.The relationship between early "budsct," shoot morphology, and plant height suggests that the proportion of seedlings with a 2-year-old shoot morphology after one growing season in a heated greenhouse may be used as an early test for height growth potential in seed origins and possibly in progenies of north temperate pine species.

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