Genetic variation and superior provenances selection for wood properties of Larix olgensis at four trials

Larix olgensis , one of the most important timber species in northeastern China, is used for paper making and construction. In this study, 10 wood properties (wood density, fiber length, fiber width, fiber length- to width ratio, hemicellulose content, cellulose content, holocellulose content, lignin content, ash content, and carbon content) of 10 provenances of L. olgensis planted at sites of CuoHai (CH), JiaGeDaQi (JGDQ), LiangShui (LS), and Mao’erShan (MES) were analyzed. The results of ANOVA showed that almost traits differed significantly among locations and provenances, with a significant interaction effect. Each trait also differed significant among provenances within sites. The phenotypic and genetic coefficient of variation (PCV and GCV) and provenance heritability ( H 2 ) for wood properties ranged from 1.122 to 27.365%, from 0.564% to 21.113% and from 0.332 to 0.996, respectively. A correlation analysis showed that wood density was significantly negatively correlated with cellulose content and holocellulose content at sites CH, JGDQ, and LS, but were significantly positively correlated at site MES. Wood density was significantly negatively correlated with lignin content at CH and JGDQ, but not at LS and MES. Fiber width (FW) was negatively correlated with the ratio of fiber length (FL) to width across sites, and FW and FL/W were all positively correlated with FL. Lignin content was significantly positively correlated with hemicellulose content at site JGDQ and significantly negatively correlated with cellulose content and with holocellulose content at site MES. Interestingly, carbon content was positively correlated with cellulose content and holocellulose content at CH, but negatively correlated with these two traits at site MES. In a correlation analysis of wood properties with geographic, soil and climatic characteristics at the four sites, wood properties were mainly correlated with latitude and altitude of the site and affected by the average annual precipitation and temperature simultaneously. To select superior pulpwood provenances and high carbon storage provenances, we selected the two best provenances with excellent wood properties for each location based on a multi-trait comprehensive evaluation, which can be used as the preferred materials for the establishment of large-scale plantations in specific locations.