Verification of growth-reproduction trade-offs in Japanese larch in relation to environmental variation

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15291
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Forest science
• Research Institution: Forest Research and Management Organization
• Principal Investigator: Matsushita Michinari 国立研究開発法人森林研究・整備機構, 森林総合研究所 林木育種センター, 主任研究員 (70624899)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: カラマツ / 繁殖 / 環境適応 / UAV

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We collected data on the reproduction and growth traits in Japanese larch, and evaluated their adaptability to the local environment. The differences among clones and among provenances in growth and reproductive traits and their geographic trends were evaluated. As a result, there was a significant variation among clones in growth traits, and a relatively large variance component of genetic-environment interactions were also detected. There was also a significant variation among clones in reproductive traits (both of male and female cone production). Based on the estimates of genetic performance of each clone, this study detected geographical trends (cline) for both growth and reproductive traits.

Free Research Field

森林生態遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

成長と繁殖にトレードオフが存在する場合、成長の良い系統は採種園で着花しにくいという危惧が想定されるが、本研究結果よりその懸念はそれほど大きくない可能性が示唆された。本成果は、成長に優れた系統を選ぶことと採種園における繁殖性を両立できる可能性を示唆しており、カラマツ育種事業を進めるうえで有益な知見を提供できたと考えられる。