Progeny Testing in Street Trees Subjected to Roadside Soil Pollution    (View PDF)

Oddmund Fostad and Per Anker Pedersen

Abstract: To investigate the relationship of the characteristics of offspring from selected individual urban trees to the fitness of the mother trees, seeds were collected in 1991 and 1992 from Acer platanoides (Norway maple), Aesculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut), and Betula pendula (silver birch) along streets in Oslo center, Norway. Half-sib families of A. platanoides, A. hippocastanum, and B. pendula, numbering 12, 12, and 6, respectively, were grown in the roadside soil or in peat for 2 years (1992 and 1993) with seeds collected the previous year. Seedlings grown in the roadside soil were 64% shorter than those grown in peat. Stunting in roadside soil was greatest in A. platanoides and least in B. pendula. In A. platanoides, a significant correlation between height of the seedlings and vigor of the mother trees was found in 1993 but not in 1992. In A, hippocastanum, a correlation was found in both years. Within A. hippocastanum, best vigor and growth were found in seedlings originating from mother trees with excellent vigor, suggesting a potential for selective tree improvement. B. pendula produced the most homogeneous seedlings. Leaf drop occurred earlier in seedlings grown in roadside soil than in peat.

Keywords: Edaphic factors, growth suppression, half-sib families, inter- and intraspecific variation, phenology, roadside soil, selection, urban environment

https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.1998.016