Tree breeding in British Columbia (Canada) forestry

Abstract

British Columbia (BC) is Canada’s westernmost province and has a surface area approximately 1.2 times that of Türkiye. Forests cover more than half of BC, and forestry is the second most important sector of the province’s economy, following energy. Approximately 200 thousand hectares are harvested every year, almost all of which (95%) is crown land, and 80% of this is artificially regenerated. More than 80% of seedlings required for regeneration are of Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta var. latifolia, and Picea glauca x engelmannii species. Breeding studies carried out on 13 tree species, including these three species, resulted in around 20% genetic gain in volume growth. Legal regulations that require the use of genetically improved seeds for regeneration and a well-functioning seed production and registration system ensure the realization of the benefits of tree breeding in wood production. In order to establish stands adapted to changing climate conditions, intensive studies are undertaken on seed transfer, and the information obtained from these studies is taken into account in tree breeding programs.

Keywords

• British Columbia
• tree breeding
• seed transfer
• seed orchard

Britanya Kolumbiyası (Kanada) ormancılığında ağaç ıslahı

Abstract

ritanya Kolumbiyası (BC), Kanada’nın en batısında yer alan ve Türkiye yüzölçümünün yaklaşık 1,2 katı büyüklüğündeki bir eyaletidir. BC’nin yarıdan fazlası ormanlarla kaplıdır ve ormancılık, enerjiden sonra Eyalet ekonomisinin en önemli ikinci sektörüdür. Neredeyse tamamı (%95) devlete ait olan bu ormanlardan her yıl yaklaşık 200 bin hektarı (ha) kesilmekte ve bunun %80’i yapay olarak gençleştirilmektedir. Yıllık fidan ihtiyacının %82’si Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta var. latifolia ve Picea glauca x engelmannii türlerine aittir. Bunlar dâhil toplam 13 türde yürütülen ağaç ıslahı çalışmaları ile hacimde %20 kadar bir genetik kazanç elde edilmiştir. Gençleştirme çalışmalarında ıslah edilmiş tohum kullanılması yasal zorunluluk olup, oldukça sağlıklı işleyen bir tohum üretim ve kayıt sistemi ile ağaç ıslahı çalışmalarının sonuçları odun üretimine yansıtılmaktadır. Değişen iklim koşullarına uyumlu ormanlar oluşturmak için tohum transferi konusunda yoğun araştırmalar yapılmakta ve elde edilen bilgiler ağaç ıslah programlarında da dikkate alınmaktadır.

Keywords

• Britanya Kolumbiyası
• ağaç ıslahı
• tohum transferi
• tohum bahçesi

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