Effect of Stem Diameter, Genetics, and Wood Properties on Stem Cracking in Norway Spruce

Abstract

The choice of seed material (genetics) is one of the tools that can improve adaptation to the changing climate. Insufficient adaptation can result in a number of potential risks, including stem cracking. The goal of this study is to assess the influence of genetics and wood properties on stem cracking in Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst). The study was conducted on a 35-year-old provenance trial in Eastern Latvia. Stem cracks were assessed using a six-score scale. Tree-ring parameters, i.e., latewood proportion, maximum and mean density, mean earlywood, and latewood density were analysed. The overall incidence of stem cracking was 23.5%, varying between 0% and 79% at a family mean level. Heritability of stem cracking was low, ca., two times lower than for the diameter at breast height (DBH): h2 = 0.09 and 0.21, respectively. There were non-significant family and provenance effects on the occurrence of stem cracks, and weak family mean correlations between DBH, and the proportion of trees with any stem cracks or severe stem cracks. Overall, larger trees were more prone to cracking irrespective of provenance or family. Cracked trees had lower wood density parameters than unaffected trees, yet the latewood proportion was similar. Silvicultural treatments or selection to improve wood density could be suggested to reduce the risk of stem cracking.

Connecting tree‐ring phenotypes, genetic associations and transcriptomics to decipher the genomic architecture of drought adaptation in a widespread conifer

“…The range of narrow‐sense heritability estimates that we observed using the conservative G ‐matrix approach (0.11 ≤ h 2 ≤ 0.32, Table 1 ) and estimates from previous work in spruces (e.g. Depardieu et al, 2020 ; Lenz et al, 2010 ; Li et al, 1993 ; Zeltins et al, 2018 ) indicates that the traits studied here will respond to breeding selection. In particular, the higher genetic control observed for the growth response traits (Rc, Rl and Rr) compared to the other traits tested in this study (Table 1 ) suggests that this suite of traits could be used to improve the resilience of plantations under dryer climate in the future.…”

Analysis of Qualitative Features of Beech and Oak Trunks as a Determinant of the Quality Assessment

“…Zeltins et al [40] analyzed the occurrence of cracks of Norway spruce trunks. As the main possibilities of their elimination, they introduced silvicultural interventions and qualitative selection aimed at increasing the wood density.…”

Phenotypic Variability and Differences in the Drought Response of Norway Spruce Pendula and Pyramidalis Half-Sib Families

“…Trees' annual radial increases and how they are influenced by climatic conditions, especially by air temperature and precipitation, have been the subject of numerous research studies [20][21][22][23]. Studies combining genetic and dendrochronological investigations have focused on the designation of valuable provenances, either for high radial growth or for better wood strength, expressed by the percentage of latewood, wood density, or other mechanical properties of wood (modulus of elasticity, resistance to torsion, bending, and shearing) [24][25][26][27]. The narrow-crown Norway spruce ideotype (Picea abies f. pendula), investigated especially in Finland [28][29][30] and Romania [31,32], has remarkably higher strength compared with the classical form of spruce (pyramidalis variety), which recommends it for afforestation works instead of the pyramidalis variety.…”