Mass production of shortleaf x slash pine hybrids by pollinating unbagged female flowers

Abstract

A simple method of mass-producing shortleaf x slash pine hybrids was attempted. Large quantities of slash pine pollen were spread on unbagged shortleaf flowers in the hope of recovering a high percentage of hybrid progeny and thus materially reducing the cost of producing such hybrids by conventional controlled pollination. The hybrid is very promising, but, as Snyder and Squillace (1965) have shown, seed yields from controlled pollinations have averaged only 8.5 sound seeds per cone.