Abstract

A triploid birch (Betula pendula f. gigas) from Valls hage, Gävle, Sweden has been cloned by micropropagation. Small (30 cm high), tall (90 cm) and magnum (≥120 cm) were produced and planted in the field in autumn or in next spring. Three localities were used: Hedemora, Sala and Uppsala. The experiments were located on former farmland. In a parcel, 25 seedlings of triploid birch was planted in a spacing of 3x3 m. Between the triploid seedlings, pendula birches (Betula pendula Roth) was planted. Close to the experiment a parcel with hybrid aspen (Populus tremula x Populus tremuloides) was planted. The same spacing as for triploid birch and mixed with pendula birch. Hybrid aspen was used as control. The percentage surviving seedlings differed between localities but also between planting years. As a mean 85-100 % of the triploid birches planted five years ago were still alive. The highest triploid birches were found in Hedemora, 150-250 cm high. In Sala the heights differ between 120 and 160 cm and in Uppsala between 70 and 220 cm. The pendula birches were shorter, 75 to 200 cm high, and the hybrid aspens were 100 to 160 cm high. The diameter and height of older triploid birches was measured and compared with pendula birch. The triploid birches had grown faster than the pendula birches. A small group of triploid birches growing on a site in southern Sweden, Ekebo, had a site index of 28-30 m (H40). Studies on wood qualities among others basic density and fibre length were made. There were no significant differences between the studied factors for triploid birch and pendula birch. Some practical implications were made

Keywords

Betula pendula; triploid birch; micropropagation; growth; wood strength; density; coarseness; fibre length; fibre width; hybrid aspen

Published in

Rapport - Institutionen för bioenergi
2006, number: 9
Publisher: Institutionen för bioenergi, SLU

SLU Authors

• Johansson, Tord

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Nylinder, Mats

  • Department of Forest Products, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/8638