415
– Productivity was very influenced by the plantation site. Until the age of 8 years,
the difference in individual volume production was 60% higher in San Vicente,
when considering the general means for both trials. None of the provenances
tested in San Vicente was surpassed in productivity by the same origin when it
was tested in Puerto Libertad.
– The variation within provenances was lower than among provenances. For the
volumetric production, 20% of the provenances tested in San Vicente showed
highly significant differences between the progenies, while in Puerto Libertad,
no origin revealed variation among the progenies for volume production.
– The phenotypic correlations between the different growth parameters at different
ages showed that the height cannot be used to early evaluate the future behavior
of the provenances. After 4 months, growth in height is still a function of the
weight of the seed. After 1 year on the plantation, the height of the provenances
was highly correlated with the height, diameter, and individual volume for any
age up to 8 years.
– The correlations between the characters of growth in the progenies within the
provenances at different ages were quite variable, and not always the height of
1 year was correlated with the characters at other ages, being necessary the individual study of families to establish that relationships.
– The associations between the provenance behavior in the trials and the home
climatic and geographical characteristics of the provenances showed that the
productivity was highly correlated with the annual average temperatures and the
geographic longitude of the provenances. Thus, the higher the annual average
temperature and the longitude of the provenances, the better growth was shown.
In association with the longitude, the smaller distance between the provenance
and the site of implantation, the better its behavior in both tested sites.
These results enabled invaluable guidance to farmers and companies about the
best sources of seeds for use as propagation material in generating commercial plantations of the species, remarking that the best genetic material to generate them are
the local provenance from Misiones or the nearest.
Later, in 1997, according to the management plan of the Provincial Reserve
“Cruce Caballero,” the Ministry of Ecology and Renewable Natural Resources
(Province of Misiones), the Faculty of Forestry Sciences of Eldorado (FCF, National
University of Misiones), and the Center for Forestry Research and Experiences
(CIEF, association of private companies), have gathered around an in situ and an ex
situ germplasm conservation project for A. angustifolia (Bertolini 1999). This
agreement also aimed to guarantee high genetic quality of seed supply for the commercial plantations in the Province (a purpose of interest for the most important
forest companies of the region, i.e., Alto Paraná SA (now Arauco SA), Celulosa
Puerto Piray SA, Pecom Forestal, and others) by creating seed-producing areas in
the properties of the Province, FCF, and private companies. In the frame of the mentioned agreement, three progeny trials with seedlings from 80 selected trees of the
natural forest of Cruce Caballero Provincial Park were established in 1998 and
1999. Plantations were also carried out in degraded areas of that Provincial Reserve
15 Paraná Pine (Araucaria angustifolia): The Most Planted Native Forest Tree…
– Productivity was very influenced by the plantation site. Until the age of 8 years,
the difference in individual volume production was 60% higher in San Vicente,
when considering the general means for both trials. None of the provenances
tested in San Vicente was surpassed in productivity by the same origin when it
was tested in Puerto Libertad.
– The variation within provenances was lower than among provenances. For the
volumetric production, 20% of the provenances tested in San Vicente showed
highly significant differences between the progenies, while in Puerto Libertad,
no origin revealed variation among the progenies for volume production.
– The phenotypic correlations between the different growth parameters at different
ages showed that the height cannot be used to early evaluate the future behavior
of the provenances. After 4 months, growth in height is still a function of the
weight of the seed. After 1 year on the plantation, the height of the provenances
was highly correlated with the height, diameter, and individual volume for any
age up to 8 years.
– The correlations between the characters of growth in the progenies within the
provenances at different ages were quite variable, and not always the height of
1 year was correlated with the characters at other ages, being necessary the individual study of families to establish that relationships.
– The associations between the provenance behavior in the trials and the home
climatic and geographical characteristics of the provenances showed that the
productivity was highly correlated with the annual average temperatures and the
geographic longitude of the provenances. Thus, the higher the annual average
temperature and the longitude of the provenances, the better growth was shown.
In association with the longitude, the smaller distance between the provenance
and the site of implantation, the better its behavior in both tested sites.
These results enabled invaluable guidance to farmers and companies about the
best sources of seeds for use as propagation material in generating commercial plantations of the species, remarking that the best genetic material to generate them are
the local provenance from Misiones or the nearest.
Later, in 1997, according to the management plan of the Provincial Reserve
“Cruce Caballero,” the Ministry of Ecology and Renewable Natural Resources
(Province of Misiones), the Faculty of Forestry Sciences of Eldorado (FCF, National
University of Misiones), and the Center for Forestry Research and Experiences
(CIEF, association of private companies), have gathered around an in situ and an ex
situ germplasm conservation project for A. angustifolia (Bertolini 1999). This
agreement also aimed to guarantee high genetic quality of seed supply for the commercial plantations in the Province (a purpose of interest for the most important
forest companies of the region, i.e., Alto Paraná SA (now Arauco SA), Celulosa
Puerto Piray SA, Pecom Forestal, and others) by creating seed-producing areas in
the properties of the Province, FCF, and private companies. In the frame of the mentioned agreement, three progeny trials with seedlings from 80 selected trees of the
natural forest of Cruce Caballero Provincial Park were established in 1998 and
1999. Plantations were also carried out in degraded areas of that Provincial Reserve
15 Paraná Pine (Araucaria angustifolia): The Most Planted Native Forest Tree…