Appletons Tree Nursery Ltd, 1748 Main Road South, Wakefield, Nelson, Phone 03 541 8309, Fax 03 541 8007
Email appletons@ts.co.nz, Web www.appletons.co.nz

GF Plus™

Different tree-growers and end-users require different combinations of tree traits, depending on their objectives and their growing conditions. GF Plus™ provides information on the characteristics of radiata pine seedlots:

  • Growth
    Ratings for growth are based on diameter. The higher the rating the better the anticipated growth rate.
  • Straightness
    Based on a visual assessment scale; the higher the rating the better the expected average straightness.
  • Branching
    The higher the rating the more multinodal the seedlot. Long-Internode seedlots have a lower rating. The scale is based on a visual assessment score of tree-average branch cluster frequency.
  • Dothistroma
    The higher the rating the greater the resistance to Dothistroma needle blight. Ratings for this trait are based on assessments of relative proportions of live crown in Dothistroma-prone areas.
  • Wood density
    Developed from basic wood density values for juvenile wood, emphasising growth rings 6 to 10 from the pith. The higher the rating the higher the expected average wood density of the juvenile wood.
  • Spiral Grain
    The higher the rating the lower the average incidence of spiral grain.

 

GF PLUS TRAITS

Detailed information sheets on each of the traits are available from Appletons. The GF Plus™ scheme offers information on important additional wood property traits, compared with the growth and form ratings only of the GF scheme.

Trait ratings are calculated using the estimates of genetic worth of the parent trees and the proportional contribution of each parent to the seedlot. Estimates of genetic worth are derived from Radiata Pine Breeding Co-operation progeny/performance trials, using skilled field staff to ensure consistency of assessment across trials and regions.

The intention is that forest growers are able to use these GF Plus™ traits to help them rank seedlots and determine the most suitable genetic material for their particular forest.

A royalty of $15 per 1000 is included in the nursery tree price and is returned to the RPBC for future development and research. The research programme is looking at the genetic influence of other key wood quality traits such as stiffness, internal checking and resin pockets. Once ratings are available, it is anticipated that they will also be introduced into the GF Plus™ scheme.

Genetics alone should not be considered as the key to successful forest growing, as site and forest management have a significant impact on the success of a forest.

The use of the GF Plus™ scheme, through its ranking of genetic quality does assist forest growers in making informed decisions as to the most suitable planting stock for a particular situation.

For further information, contact Appletons.

 

  

 


 

 

 

 

  
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