An Investigation on one-year old seedlings of different poplar clones at selection nurseries of Markazi province

Abstract

The aim of this research was to select the suitable poplar clones among 52 clones at seedling stage, after four years period. The clones characteristics during different age stage were studied, including seedling height and diameter growth, survival percentage of one year old seedlings at the end of growth period and seedling growth at different years. The cutting method was used to propagate the poplar seedling at 30 and 120 cm columns and rows planting distance, respectively. One years old seedlings (1/1) were produced for the investigation at the first growth period. Number of clones of the species P. nigra, P. alba, P . euramericana and P. deltoids was 27, 14,7and 4, respectively. The year old seedling (1/1) characteristics at three growth period were used for further seedling production and poplar plantation with the aim of wood production and reduction of wood import. The SPSS software was applied for data statistical analysis, particularly Duncan test. The result showed that survival percentage of P. alba was the least in comparison with the other species whereas the diameter growth of P. deltoides and P.euramericana and height growth of P. deltoides and P. nigra were the greatest in comparison to the other species. There was significant difference of height growth between the species at different years.

Keywords

• Markazi province
• Populus
• selection nursery, clone