Morphological Variability and Quality of the Seed and Seedlings of Different Provenience of Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Background and Purpose: In this paper was researched the morphological variability of seed and one-year seedlings of beech of different proveniences from the major part of its natural dispersing in Bosnia and Herzegovina (from the Bužim, Bugojno, Banja Luka, Bosansko Grahovo, Posušje and Olovo). Material and Methods: There were researched: length (l), width (w) and mass (m) of the seed, of the deducted parameters was calculated the coefficient of the shape of seed which was presented by relation of length and width of the seed (Cl/w). On the seedlings were measured the diameter at the neck of the root (Dnr) and height of the seedlings (H). Results and Conclusion: The largest seed was identified in the provenience Banja Luka (l=16.17 mm, w=8.15 mm, m=0.275 g), while the smallest was in provenience Bosansko Grahovo (l=15.47 mm, w=7.22 mm, m=0.143 g). Mean values of the mentioned indicators of seed for all proveniences from Bosnia and Herzegovina were: mean length of seeds 15.65 mm, mean width of seeds 7.91 mm, average mass of the seeds 0.218 g. Coefficient of the shape of seeds (Cl/w) had the mean value of 1.99. Seedlings of beech were the most developed in the provenience Olovo (Dnr=3.50 mm, H=12.49 cm), and the smallest dimensions had the seedlings form the provenience near Posušje (Dnr=2.83 mm, H= 9.38 cm). The mean diameter of the seedlings of beech for all proveniences was Dnr=3.16 mm, mean height H=11.54 cm. Results of the conducted researches point to expressed morphological variability of seed and seedlings of the researched proveniences of "Bosnian" beech which points to the needs for established horizontal and vertical seed regions of this species in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Keywords

• beech
• seed
• seedlings
• proveniences
• morphological variability