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Silver fir used to be one of the most important tree species in the Czech forests until the 19th century. Large scale clearcuts, which nowadays occur after the salvage logging of Norway spruce due to wind of bark-beetle attacks are unfavourable for the artificial regeneration of a fir. Growth of silver fir and three pioneer species was studied during first three years in a nurse crop system established after forest disturbance events. Five-years-old containerized silver fir seedlings were planted in autumn 2014 with silver birch, alder or aspen with and without nurse crops (control plot) on two localities (Tornádo and Rakovec). The Tornádo site represents natural conditions of Central European forest (Fageta typica) type on a haplic cambisols and favourable soil water regime, while Rakovec site a Querco-Abietetum forest type on a haplic stagnosols, which was periodically waterlogged. Silver fir grew best in admixture with silver birch which significantly promoted the height increment of the firs on both localities and improved the fir survival rate at one of the sites. The lower mortality and faster growth of both silver fir and pioneers were observed on Tornádo site where 92% and 100% of the silver fir trees survived under the birch and aspen cover, respectively, while 93% of planted firs survived in the open area. Only 93% and 67% of silver firs survived on the Rakovec site with same two pioneer species, respectively and 73% in the open area. After three years the highest height increment of silver fir was observed under silver birch, where trees were by 20 cm and 11 cm taller at Tornádo and Rakovec sites, than on the control plots, respectively. Aspen and alder had no significant effect on the height increment of a silver fir at any of the study sites. The shelter of nurse crops had no effect on the air temperature. The artificial regeneration of a climax silver fir and a pioneer silver birch was beneficial on Tornádo sites. On the other hand, there should be a delay between the regeneration of silver birch and underplanting of fir on the waterlogged sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver fir (Abies alba) is a common tree species in the mountainous areas in Europe. A number of natural stands in the hilly regions of northern Europe represent relic populations. The aim of the research was to evaluate the diversity present in Italian populations of the species. Genetic diversity was assessed in 45 silver fir populations covering the species' distribution range in Italy, based on the allelic variation present at seven microsatellite loci (SSRs). A consistent level of intra-population variability was present. Several of the populations displayed signs of ongoing genetic erosion, and evidence for a recent bottleneck in some was identified. Populations from the eastern Alps and the Apennines were more variable than those sampled from the western Alps. About 8% of the overall genetic variance was found between populations, with the remainder representing variation present within the populations. The data suggested that the southern Apennines acted as a refugium during the most recent Ice Age, and that many of the populations from this area have remained isolated over a prolonged period. Smaller and more isolated populations have experienced genetic drift, whereas the larger ones have preserved a high level of diversity. Identification of genetically homogeneous regions could be informative for the management of genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differential inhibition in growth of fungus Phaeolus schweinitzii inoculum was testedwith somatic embryos of two cell lines of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) by the methodof dual cultures with pre-cultivation of somatic embryos andsubsequent removal. It was confirmedthat inhibitory substances from pre-cultivated somatic embryos L27 spreading to agar cultivation medium by simple diffusion cause greater inhibition of tester mycelial growth during subsequent co-cultivation compared to somatic embryos L122. Characteristics of embryogenic cell lines L27 and L122, from which somatic embryos were formed, are provided. Increased levels of peroxidase activity characterized the cell line L27. Natural non-induced constitutive defense of plant somatic embryos establishedby quantitatively measuredrestriction of growth in tester Phaeolus schweinitzii was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) as one of the historically important coniferous tree species in Central Europe into allochthonous cultivated forests is an important task for contemporary and future generations of foresters. The aim of our work was to optimize the management of fir in allochthonous cultivated stands of National Park České Švýcarsko formed mainly by Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./Karst.). The effects of light and soil conditions and game on the survival and growth of fir plantations were investigated. Browsing was determined as the limiting factor for fir reintroduction. Assessing the significance of edaphic conditions for the height increment of fir, favourable effect of luvisol could be demonstrated as compared to acidic soil. Canopy openness maximum of 30% and stand basal area of 30 to 43m2/ha with relative direct radiation of up to 45% and relative indirect radiation of up to 55% with prevalence of the diffuse component create optimal environmental conditions for the survival and sustainable growth of fir plantations in the spruce stand in regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxus baccata L. is a rare and endangered dioecious species in Europe. Species of this mating system are considered to be the most vulnerable to extinction. It is believed that one reason for this state may be the uneven reproductive effort and different habitat requirements of the two sexes. Silver fir and European yew have very similar ecological requirements, but fir is a monoecious species. The aim of this study was to compare the growth rate and the effect of precipitation and temperature on the annual tree-ring width of silver fir and both sexes of European yew. The study site was the Knyazhdvir reserve in western Ukraine, located near the limit of the geographical range of both species. Knyazhdvir reserve is the site of one of the last yew populations in Europe with a large number of individuals (about 15,000 individuals above 1.3 m height) growing alongside fir. Wood samples were taken from 15 male and 15 female specimens of T. baccata and from 15 specimens of A. alba and were subjected to a standard dendrochronological procedure. The results showed high positive correlation between the temperatures in February and March and the tree-ring width in the studied species and genders. The response of annual tree-ring width to the examined climatic factors was relatively similar in yew and fir. However slight differences were found between males and females of T. baccata. The growth rate decreased more rapidly in females compared to males, probably following sexual maturation. Precipitation in April had a positive effect on firs and female yews, but not on male yews. This confirms earlier reports of the requirement of female specimens of dioecious species for a higher humidity than male individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laccase and manganese dependent peroxidase (MnP) genes in H. annosum s.l. were studied by PCR-RFLP. The peroxidase genes MNP1a and MNP2 showed Heterobasidion species specific length differences. Among eighteen monomorphic markers which were found for investigatedgenes, three were characteristic for H. abietinum andfive for H. annosum s.s. The remaining specific markers were characteristic for H. parviporum and H. abietinum (nine markers) or for H. parviporum and H. annosum s.s. (one marker). No specific marker for H. parviporum was detected. On the basis of monomorphic markers, intersterility groups of eighty one strains isolatedfrom eleven forest tree or bush species in south Polandwere identified. Fifty-three belongedto H. annosum s.s., twenty-five to H. parviporum, andthree to H. abietinum. Strains belonging to H. annosum s.s. were isolatedfrom Pinus nigra, P. strobus, P. sylvestris, Larix decidua, Picea abies, as well as from Alnus incana, Betula pendula, Padus avium, Quercus robur and Q. rubra. H. parviporum was isolatedfrom Abies alba, Picea abies, Pinus nigra, P. sylvestris, Larix decidua andfrom Alnus incana. This is the first report of H. parviporum occurrence on Alnus incana in Poland. The ascertained H. abietinum strains derived from Abies alba. Our results demonstrate a new methodof Heterobasidion species identification based on the different length of MNP1a and MNP2 peroxidase genes and RFLP markers obtained for laccase and Mn2+ dependent peroxidase genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of research on the genetic variability in the growth characteristics and plasticity of Polish provenances of Norway spruce, tested on thirty plots established in Europe and Canada in the IUFRO 1972 provenance experiment. Special consideration was devoted to the plots in Poland, especially in Knyszyn. The variability in the growth and quality characteristics of the provenances, found at experiment level, is high (within 6.099 standard deviation units). At provenance level, it ranges between 4.674 for Kartuzy and 2.192 for Rycerka Zwardoń. This indicates that the performance of the provenances depends much on environmental conditions. Although no provenance can be considered adaptable to any conditions that may occur in the cultivation of spruce, the Istebna Bukowiec and Zwierzyniec Lubelski provenances, having a very high breeding value and high plasticity, may be recommended for a wider use in reforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three populations of Norway spruce from ecologically extreme environments in Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were examined for genetic polymorphism. The spruces there grow in specific forest communities (Sphagno-Piceetum) which represent the remnants of the post-glacial vegetation. The aim of the study was to search for similarities in the genetic variation among populations adapted to such conditions. In total, 10 isoenzyme systems involving 16 gene loci were analysed. The results showed differences in genetic differentiation at loci Got-B, Skdh-A and 6-Pgdh-C between the two Slovenian populations and the Bosnian population, but also indicated an interestingly close relationship between the Slovenian population Pohorje and the Bosnian population Nišići. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 50 populations of Norway spruce from Bavaria were analysed at 23 isozyme gene loci. The mean genetic distances between these populations were quite small. A geographical grouping could not be observed, and discrimination between provenances from high and low altitudes was not identifiable using this marker type, either. The only difference between spruce populations from South Bavaria and those from Northeast Bavaria is in the presence of some distinct rare alleles. The highest values for the genetic diversity were detected for spruce stands in Northeast Bavaria (Frankonian Forest). Using STS markers, further genes of the nuclear genome of Picea abies can be dealt with. The genetic differences found on the basis of ten STS markers between different Picea abies seed lots and/or seedling populations are generally 2–3 times greater than those found by means of isozyme gene markers. DNA markers turned out to be an appropriate and substantial addition or even more a suitable alternative to isozyme markers for analysing genetic variation and testing provenance identity. Their advantages consist in a markedly wider variation as well as in the enlarged genome segments investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural stands of Norway spruce in Poland are split between the southern and the northeastern parts of the country. Two so-called “spruceless” zones separate the northern spruce locations from those in the south, one “spruceless” zone is situated in Central Poland, and the other one in the Beskid Mts. Mitochondrial (STS) and nuclear (SSR) markers were used to perform the genetic identification of Norway spruce. Four different variants of haplotypes, “a”, “b”, “c” and “d”, were found to occur in the nad1 locus of STS markers. Populations from the northern range of Picea abies distribution in Poland harboured exclusively haplotypes “c” and “d”, except for the Białowieża population which had haplotypes “a” and “c”. Populations from the “spruceless” zones contained four types of haplotypes whilst those from southern Poland were mostly composed of haplotype “a”. High mean gene diversity was observed for both STS and SSR markers (HT = 0.529, and HT = 0.851, respectively). The total genetic differentiation of Norway spruce populations was very low (FST = 0.088). Two main groups of populations were distinguished in the dendrogram defined by Nei’s genetic distances based on microsatellite markers. The distribution of the genotypes was scattered and did not show any connection with the spatial distribution of P. abies in Poland. Only the mtDNA markers were able to differentiate the northern populations of Norway spruce from the southern ones, proving the historical separation between the Baltico-Nordic and the Hercyno-Carpathian ranges of P. abies in Poland. By contrast, the microsatellite data suggested an overlap between the genotypes due to the human manipulation of Norway spruce stands in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two provenance experiments with Norway spruce in Slovakia were used to reveal trends in the behaviour of provenances after their transfer. Regressions between the average height and survival of provenances and the differences between the geographic and selected climatic characteristics of the place of origin and provenance plots were significant for most of the characteristics tested. Data from the experiment with Polish and Slovak provenances from 1972 indicated that transfer into warmer regions with a longer vegetation period results in improved height growth and survival, with the exception of survival at initial stages. The experiment from 1964 with a broader altitudinal range of provenance plots, but with unadjusted latest measurements at individual plots available, revealed the best height growth of Slovak Norway spruce provenances after their transfer to sites with the mean annual temperature approximately 1°C higher and with the vegetation period 12 days longer than at places of origin. Transfer into lower altitudes, a warmer climate and a longer vegetation period improved survival. In both experiments, transfer to areas with increased rainfall had a negative effect on growth, which is probably associated with the fact that provenances are not able to exploit additional precipitation for the growth in areas with a colder climate and a shorter vegetation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality assessment of spruce seeds consists mainly in determining their germination capacity, including germination rate (speed), but also purity and weight. Internationally recognised methods are listed in the ISTA Rules for Seed Testing which also specify test conditions. Some countries such as Poland use modified methods. Apart from providing information about the purity of a species, purity testing can also identify the proportion of winged seeds in each seed lot. Germination tests yield data on the maximum germination potential of a seed lot which are used to compare the quality of different lots and to establish the field sowing values. This paper presents the methods used for assessing the quality of Norway spruce seeds, and discusses their advantages and disadvantages and the problems that need further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the newly suggested long-term breeding strategy for Norway spruce in Lithuania to share with the optimisation approach, which may be useful in synchronising the long-term breeding and gene conservation plans in neighbouring regions. The breeding programme in Lithuania is at a stage where the long-term plans need to be developed. Our strategy is to proceed with a closed-nucleus breeding population which is structured into subpopulations according to adaptation zones (4–5 subpopulations). The size of each subpopulation is 50 unrelated and progeny-tested individuals. The breeding cycle consists of double-pair mating and a balanced within-family selection forward. The candidates will be clone-tested. Advanced genotypes will be selected into an advanced nucleus; an isolated foreign breeding population is planned. Positive assortative mating is used for deployment. An experimental “shuttle-breeding” strategy may be tested: selection with avery high intensity, controlled crosses, nursery tests for vigour and growth rhythm, cloning by hedges into short-rotation clonal plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundant flowering, observed in 2004 in a model outbreeding seed orchard established in Kórnik, Poland, promoted crossing between clones of five geographically distant populations of Norway spruce. The clones were selected from a group of ca. 1100 provenances participating in the international IUFRO 1964/68 experiment and performing best in terms of growth traits and adaptability. In the seed orchard, 91.3% of clones and 64.1% of grafts produced female and/or male strobili. Statistically significant differences between the clones were only found in the number of mature cones produced. The mean number of mature cones in individual clones was also significantly correlated with the latitude of the place of origin of maternal populations (r = 0.88, p = 0.047). The nearly equal percentages of clones representing each of the five populations in the outbreeding seed orchard (from 23.2 to 17.5%) resulted finally in the highly unequal production of full seeds by each population (from 62.9 to 0.7%). These data provide evidence to suggest that the level of genetic diversity in the progeny, expected from the number of growing clones, diverges from the level resulting from the contribution of clones to the full seed production which is an effective measure of the genetic composition of progeny. To avoid this divergence, an outbreeding seed orchard could be established with unequal proportions of clones from different provenances, considering the knowledge of their flowering phenology, and individual variation in flowering and cone production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, clone testing has become an important component of the long-term breeding and seed orchards for Norway spruce in Sweden. For more than three decades, considerable resources have been spent on testing clones intended for clonal forestry, but the Swedish forestry never saw it worth to pay the added cost involved in the added gain. The efforts, however, resulted in many clone trials and developments in the technique for clone production and propagation. Theoretically, clone testing is faster and cheaper than progeny testing and more reliable than selecting individuals forwards. Nowadays, the main line in long-term breeding is to make crosses between the best trees and test-cloned full-sibs as a recruitment population for long-term breeding and seed orchards. Since controlled crosses are a bottleneck for long-term breeding, a possibility is to rely on wind pollination (Breeding Without Breeding; BWB) in trials for testing clones. The seed parent is known, and that the pollen parent is a desirable genotype can be checked by molecular markers. BWB has the potential to eliminate the waiting time between selection and recombination, which is particularly important in a late and irregularly flowering species such as Norway spruce. Clone testing ensures that the breeding values are known from the same tests as those used for BWB. Another option for BWB is to place in seed orchards a few ramets of clones belonging to the breeding population, but normally not deserving such a use, with the hope that their presence will make it possible to rely on wind pollination to recombine the whole breeding population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecochemical indexes such as soil buffer reaction (pH), acid neutralising capacity (ANCaq), alkalinity (ALK), soil acidity (Ma%), basic cation saturation (BS), and molar ratios Ca:Al and BC:Al were used to study the sustainability of Norway spruce of Istebna provenance in stands differing in age class. The data were obtained from the research conducted in the Dupniański Stream catchment in the Silesian Beskid Mts. (Poland). The acid neutralising capacity, alkalinity, and soil acidity were found to depend on the age of spruce stands. The increased acidification of deposits was due to the presence of sulphate and nitrate ions which were washed out from the surface of plants. Passing through the canopy caused a decrease in the acid neutralising capacity, alkalinity, and base cation saturation, and an increase in the soil acidity, with the values being dependent on stand age. The soil acid reaction shifted to the range of the aluminium and iron bufferness, but the Ca:Al and BC:Al ratios were still above the level when aluminium stress is probable. The washout of the basic cations beyond the spruce root system, and the low levels of exchangeable Mg2+ and Ca2+, basic cation saturation of soil water, and effective base saturation of soil may affect the vitality and health of spruce stands in the future. To maintain the sustainability of Norway spruce stands of Istebna provenance in the Dupniański Stream catchment it is necessary to increase the retention of basic elements, especially Mg2+ and Ca2+, by means of stand conversion or fertilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the intra-population variability of the growth and quality traits of Norway spruce populations from Bliżyn and Zwierzyniec Lubelski. The two populations are included in the IUFRO 1972 experiment and exhibit a high growth dynamics and a narrow crown form. The research was carried out on the experimental plot established in 1996 in Chrosno (Kutno Forest District) using 8228 two-year-old seedlings planted in a single-tree plot design at a spacing of 1.5 × 1.5 m. The seedlings represent 191 open-pollinated families, among them 93 families of Norway spruce from the Bliżyn region and 98 families from the Zwierzyniec Lubelski region. The height, height increment and DBH of trees were measured periodically, and some quality traits were assessed. The last results come from the measurements done on the trees aged 10 years. It was found that the differences between the two populations of Norway spruce are statistically nonsignificant but both of them show wide within-population variability. This suggests that they have the potential to flexibly respond to future changes in the growth conditions or to seed transfer to other seed zones. Survival in the environmental conditions of the experiment was independent of family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the deterioration in the health condition of Norway spruce on the IPTNS-IUFRO 1964/68 observation plots in Krynica (Poland), there was an urgent need to determine the cause of the decline in order to design preventive measures. For this purpose, a health inventory was carried out in the years 2002 and 2003. This included an assessment of the condition of crowns in 144 trees and a thorough examination of 29 felled trees. It was found that individual trees or groups of trees have declined in some blocks of the experiment. The tops of some trees were dying and the crowns were getting transparent. The discolouration (turning brown) of needles was quite common and even green needles were shed. Some of the roots showed symptoms of necrosis and died. Seven taxa of pathogens were isolated from the diseased roots and trunk parts of spruces, among them Phytophthora citrophthora, Fusarium avenaceum, F. solani and Trichoderma. The number of diseased trees was related to provenance. The provenances Babenhausen (Germany), Frantiskovy Lazne (Czech Republic), Traunstein 1/4 D, 6 A, B, 7 A (Germany), Wundsiedel-Weissenstadt (Germany), Mestwinowo (Poland), and Magland (France) proved to be more susceptible than others to fungal pathogen attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, Norway spruce stands occupy 22% of the total forest area in Lithuania. Most of them are located in the northeastern highland (Žemaitija) and the central part of the country. 25% of the spruce-dominated stands are pure, the rest are mixed. Natural calamities like storms, droughts, and pests cause substantial damage and occur quite frequently. About 40 thousand ha of stands are cut after each storm. The mean wood yield of the spruce stands is 304 m³ ha–1, and the current annual increment is 6.2 m³ ha–1. The climatic conditions of Lithuania are variable enough to cause differentiation of habitats. For Norway spruce, 6 provenance regions have been established. The national gene conservation programme is based on (a) in situ genetic reserves, seed collection stands, and selected genotypes, and (b) ex situ clonal archives, seed orchards, experimental plantations, and gene bank collections. The present-day breeding of Norway spruce comprises family tests of populations for individual and population selection, and plans for inter-population hybrids. A strategy for Norway spruce breeding has been approved for the years 2004–2013. There is a genetically diverse material for future breeding: long-distance provenance tests, and population and family tests. Assessments of two provenance tests (aged 9 and 17 years) in central Lithuania revealed superior performance of central and northeastern Polish provenances: superior height, good stem quality, and late bud-burst in spring. This may be attributed to the favourable effect of transfer: avoidance of spring frosts (late bud-burst and good stem quality), and utilisation of the later part of the growing period for growth (late bud-set and superior height). Norway spruce is a climax species with different domestic and Darwinian fitness. Therefore, we suggest that the domestic fitness of local genotypes may be improved by introducing a few Polish clones in Lithuanian breeding populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In connection with the decline of spruce stands on the Krynica plots of IPTNS-IUFRO 1964/68, observed in the last decade and attributed to the so-called spiral disease, an attempt was made to determine whether the current health condition of trees is influenced by genotype (provenance). As shown by preliminary observations, the spruces differed in the degree of survival depending on provenance. The inventories of died or broken trees to be removed during the sanitary cutting, made in the years 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2008, yielded also information about the number of spruces that remained in the blocks of the experiment for each provenance and provenance region by Krutzsch (1968). Analysis of variance showed that genotype (provenance) has a statistically significant effect on the survival of trees. In the years 1999–2008, spruces from region 21 (Bohemian Forest) displayed the poorest survival rate in the conditions of the Beskid Sądecki Mts., while those from region 80 (Eastern Siberia) survived best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the development of the root system (both skeletal and fine roots) in 19-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) of two provenances (from altitudes 320 m and 1100 m), growing on two plots (540 m a.s.l., lowland, modal Cambisol; 820 m a.s.l., slope, ranker podzol), by comparing 34 parameters. The results show that the root system emergence is not affected by provenance but rather by site, namely by soil type and terrain slope. At an altitude of 540 m, both provenances produced an anchoring root system of circular floor projection with a rooting depth of 80 cm, while at an altitude of 820 m they had an elliptical superficial root system with a rooting depth of 45 cm. At the higher-situated plot, the provenance from an altitude of 1100 m showed a higher biomass, vitality, and specific length of fine roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The juvenile height growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) was studied in 1095 spruce provenances included in the IUFRO inventory provenance test of 1964/68. Trees growing on the experimental site established in Krynica in the Beskid Sądecki Mts. (Carpathians) were measured at ca. 3-year intervals in the period 1969–1988, from the age of 6 years (i.e. 2 years of planting) to 25 years. The variability of tree height in this spruce population was assessed on the basis of the means expressed in units of standard deviation, calculated for each provenance and each geographical region of Krutzsch in successive years of measurement. Using the standardised units made it possible to characterise the dynamics of spruce growth in provenances from 95 geographical regions representing the whole European range of the species. The effects of geographical region, tree age and their interaction on the variability of height growth within this range were estimated using multi-way analysis of variance with replicated measurements. The regions showing similar spruce growth trends were grouped by using hierarchical cluster analysis. The results on the juvenile dynamics of height growth showed that spruce provenances from various geographical regions of Krutzsch differ significantly in their genetic reactivity. Based on this, several groups of regions were identified: (1) regions with average or weak but stable spruce growth characterised by no significant effects of age or genotype × age interaction in the whole measuring period, or regions with height growth improving with age; (2) regions of spruce provenances constituting a selection elite, with very good height growth in the whole measuring period or in its later part, characterised by no G × A interaction; (3) regions with varied genetic reactivity of height growth dynamics in the juvenile period, and regions of Scandinavian populations with poorest height growth in the whole measuring period. The studies proved that spruce provenances from the regions of Štiavnické Pohorie, Low Tatras (Slovakia), Masurian Lakeland, Augustów Lakeland, Podlasie, Silesian Beskid Mts., Beskid Żywiecki Mts. (Poland), Jutland (Denmark), Bihor Mts., Transylvania, and Eastern Carpathians (Romania) have a high selection value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides a detailed characterisation of Norway spruce stands in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The majority of natural spruce stands in Ukraine occur in Polesie, while artificial regeneration is spread all over the country. The most densely forested part of Ukraine is the Carpathian region with 41.1% of forest-covered area (2.1 million ha). Spruce-dominated stands occupy about 700 thousand hectares (30%) of the forested area of the state forest fund in the Ukrainian Carpathians, and another 10% of the mixed forests contain 10 to 30% of spruce. Besides pure spruce stands, there are beech-spruce, beech-fir-spruce, and cedar-spruce stands. The most productive stands (750–900 m3 stem wood per ha) grow in the middle and lower parts of slopes at 1100–1200 m a.s.l. which have favourable soil and climate conditions. Since the second half of the 20th century, spruce stands in the substantial part of the Ukrainian Carpathians have declined under the influence of complex anthropogenic and natural factors. Although the present condition of most spruce forests in this region remains satisfactory, the degradation processes and the ban imposed in 2006 on planting spruce on non-spruce forest sites (in state forests) may decrease their area in the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work outlines the directions in the past and present research into the variability of Norway spruce in Poland, and presents the results of provenance experiments concerning the genetic and breeding value of provenances tested in the Polish range of spruce distribution. The Istebna race proved to have a good value, however, so far only the progeny of single stands have been tested. It is thus necessary to determine the range of distribution for this race. The altitude of the location of mother stands significantly correlates with the genetic and breeding value of their progeny cultivated at different altitudes. This suggests that the altitude and exposure of plantations to be established in mountain forest belts should be specified for individual provenances (altitudinal zoning). New inventory provenance tests should be run under varied site conditions to assess both the genetic value and plasticity range of the provenances. In view of the biotic and abiotic threats facing spruce, there is a need to work out detailed programmes designed to preserve its genetic resources in gene banks and in vivo archives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sauerland region of southern Westphalia has the most economic stands of Norway spruce in the state of Northrhine-Westphalia (Germany). As shown by historical research and genetic analysis, the seeds for these stands were imported from Thuringia around the year 1880. Therefore, the two states are collaborating closely to secure the genetic variety of the spruce and develop new sources of seed supply. The survival of the Hochsauerland Norway spruce is now under threat: these stands have already been harvested or are due for harvesting shortly, in addition, many of the older stands were destroyed by the gale “Kyrill” in 2007, and only a few stands have remained. Since its foundation, the Forest Gene Bank of Northrhine-Westphalia has taken the following measures to preserve the gene pool of the Hochsauerland spruce and conserve it in the long term: storage of seed from 100 representative trees in all the most valuable stands of spruce (since 1985); establishment of seed orchards; and establishment of replacement stands. Thanks to those measures, the genetic information of the Norway spruce stands of Thuringian origin has been secured, and substantial stocks of seed are available for reforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study we analysed the mitochondrial intraspecific variation in natural populations of Norway spruce. We used the second intron of the nad1 gene, which contains two polymorphic short tandem repeats. Due to the maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA in Norway spruce, the spatial distribution of haplotype DNA allows insights into seed dispersal and artificial seed transfer. A total of 504 trees distributed all over Austria were genotyped, and 9 different haplotypes could be found. A geographical map of the haplotype variation pattern of Picea abies is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper outlines the history of international provenance experiments on Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) conducted in Poland, starting from the first attempt at establishing trials in 1938, which was interrupted by the war. The most important experiments so far have been the IUFRO 1964/68 and IUFRO 1972 Inventory Provenance Tests with Norway Spruce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]