Provenance variation in stem volume and wood density of Pinus caribaea, P. oocarpa and P. patula ssp. tecunumanii in Zambia.

Abstract

Provenance trials of Pinus caribaea Morelet and P. oocarpa Schiede/P. patula Schiede and Deppe ssp. tecunumanii (Eguiluz and Perry) Styles of the international series coordinated by the Commonwealth Forestry Institute 1, University of Oxford, were established in Zambia at 1300m altitude in 1973 and 1974 respectively. The trials were assessed in 1980 for volume under bark (YUB) and wood density (DEN) and these two traits plus the derived indices of within-sample density variation (VAR) and dry matter index (DMI) were analysed. Statistically, there were highly significant differences (p<O.OOl) between provenances of P. caribaea for YUB and DMI, and for DEN the provenances were also significantly different (p<O.05). Although the trials were not strictly comparable, there was an indication that the wood produced by P. oocarpa and P. patula ssp. tecunumanii would be of a higher density. For both species, some of the lowest VUB producers (Andros and Alamicamba in P. caribaea and Huehuetenango in P. oocarpa) also had the lowest densities and some of the highest VUB producers (Santa Clara in P. caribaea and Camelias in P. patula ssp. tecunumanii) were among the highest for density. In the Poptun provenance of P. caribaea, two separate seed collections from the same natural population produced trees with large differences in DEN. VAR was higher for P. oocarpa and the lowest value for this trait was for the island provenance of P. caribaea, Guanaja.