Abstract
Well-functioning seed orchard is the most cost-effective and realistic way to increase timber production from the Swedish forest land during the coming century. The expected breeding gain in volume production from advanced orchards is as high as 25%. However, a substantial part of the gain can be lost if undesirable factors prevail in the orchards, e.g. pollen contamination from unselected background stands and unbalanced pedigree structure in seed crops. Currently there are more than 90 orchards for Norway spruce and Scots pine in Sweden supporting 81% of the ca. 350 million seedlings annually used in reforestation. The fundamental role of the seed orchards in the Swedish forest industry and ecosystem dictates that all orchards should function well, producing high seed yield and genetic gain while also securing long term evolution potential to support a greater forest production and resilience in the future. This project aims to evaluate: 1) the genetic quality of seed crops from all categories of pine and spruce seed orchards in Sweden; 2) the variation in growth traits among orchard crops; and 3) the impact of orchard design and management practise on seed crops´ potential for production gain and climate adaptation. Knowledge gained from the investigations will provide the foundation for a dynamic deployment strategy for selecting most suitable seedlots for each planting site under different climate scenarios.
Sweden