Canadian Forest Service Publications

Flower induction treatments have no effects on seed traits and transmission of alleles in Picea glauca. 1998. Beaulieu, J.; Deslauriers, M.; Daoust, G. Tree Physiology 18: 817-821.

Year: 1998

Issued by: Laurentian Forestry Centre

Catalog ID: 16813

Language: English

Availability: PDF (request by e-mail)

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Abstract

Flower induction methods----hormone application or exposure to physiological stress, or both----are used routinely for shortening breeding cycles and increasing seed production in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss). The objectives of this study were: (1) to evaluate the effects of flower induction on seed yield and quality in white spruce; and (2) to determine if flower induction treatments affect the maternal contribution to offspring. We assessed the effects of flower induction treatments, which consisted of gibberellin A_4/7 (GA_4/7) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) stem injections, on allele segregation for 28 clones, number of seeds per cone, number of sound seeds per cone, seed weight, and the germination rate of a subset of clones. Flower induction treatments did not affect any of the phenotypic traits examined. No increase in segregation distortion in allozyme loci following flower induction treatments was observed.