Comparative analysis of morphological characteristics of beech leaves from the European provenance trial

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the research conducted within the European provenance beech trial, in the Teaching Base of the Faculty of Forestry - Debeli Lug. To assess the inter- -provenance genetic variability of beech, using morphological markers, and comparative analysis of the results obtained in two successive years, 10 trees per each selected provenance were sampled. Thirty leaves were collected from each tree (total of 300 leaves per provenance per year). The inter-provenance differences of all morphological leaf characteristics were statistically significant and can be assumed to be the result of the genetic constitution of the provenances themselves. Based on the comparative analysis of the morphological characteristics of beech leaves from 13 different provenances in two research years, it was found that the mean values of most analyzed morphological characteristics were higher in 2017, compared to the results from 2016. Such results could be explained by the different climatic conditions that prevailed in the provenance trial in research years. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. ТR 31041: Establishment of forest plantations to increase the afforested areas in Serbia]

Keywords

• interprovenance variability
• beech provenance trial
• leaf
• Fagus sylvatica L.