Background and Objective

Often hybrids between European and Japanese larch show a very good growth performance and outperform progenies of the pure species significantly. Problems occure with the production of hybrid seeds in seeds orchards caused due to distinctions between both larch species for the date of flowering. It is possble to solve this problem by establishing seed orchards with F1-hybrids.

Here it is investigated how prgenies of hybrid larch will grow. Also this information is important for the naturla regenration of hybrid larch stands. A further aim is the estimation of breeding values of the tested single trees of hybrid larch.

Also conclusions will be possible about the growth of progenies of seed orchards and stands presented in the test

Approach

Seeds of 60 clones of hybrid larch were harvested in a seed orchards in Lower Saxony. This seed orchard contains clones of hybrid larch selected in different progeny tests. 45 progenies were planted together plants from 13 seed orchards and stands of European and Japanese larch at three trial sites .