Breeding and seed production aspects of conservation and reproduction of Austrian stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) populations in the Ukrainian Carpathians

The results of forestry and selection studies of Alpine stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) are presented in four test plots of 0.6 to 1.0 ha, planted in stands with its predominance at hypsometric levels of 1150-1380 m above sea level in Gorgany. In the process of studying forest biometry indicators and the selection and form structure of Alpine stone pine stands, criteria for selecting plants for plus trees were determined with the aim of further development of plus selection and clonal seed plantation of this relict species. The dominance of trees with oval-shaped and rounded crowns, which are more than 56%, is noted in stands. It was determined that during the selection and certification of plus trees of Alpine stone pine, one should focus on biotypes with rounded crowns. A close correlation was found between the types and coloration of rhytidome on the one hand and tree selection categories, on the other. The best trees are found to have scaly-like rhytidome (plants for plus trees 1st Category - 100%, for plus trees 2nd Category - 61%) brown (plants for plus trees 1st Category - 62%, for plus trees 2nd Category - 61%). Attention is paid to the preservation of this species at the population level – by selecting forest genetic reserves (FGR). Due to the lack of large arrays of pure dwarf pines, four cedar/fir stands of different composition and structure were selected in the FGR. Two of them are in the forests of the State Forest Fund and two are on the territory of the Gorgany nature reserve. The studies have allowed to develop a sample of a plus tree of Alpine stone pine in the mountain stands of the Carpathians. We also proposed methods for producing local seeds by creating clonal seed plantations, laying permanent forest seed plots from specially selected breeding material, accelerated methods of stratification of nuts, advanced technology and agricultural techniques for growing high-quality planting material and forest crops. An analysis of the methods of protecting, restoring and expanding Alpine stone pine forests has shown that they cannot be considered sufficient. Therefore, it is necessary to create a card catalogue of forest stands with its participation, accelerate their allocation to new objects of the nature reserve and valuable genetic fund, taking into account the ecological, biological and forest features of the species. The protection of the Alpine stone pine crop, its planting material and forest species from damage, pests and diseases remains relevant. It should be especially taken into account the difficulties in creating plantings of this species in the highlands, above the upper border of the forest line on gravelly soils. It should be noted that abovementioned negative climate changes are most evident in the Carpathian highlands, where there is a massive drying of spruce forests, a decrease in their biological stability, and an increase in the area of damaged stands by diseases and pests. Therefore, forest management in this region is becoming increasingly costly and unpredictable. One of the main tasks in this case is to increase the forest areas and increase forest sustainability, that possible by forming high-quality mixed forests with the participation and Swiss stone pine predominance.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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