INTERACTION BETWEEN REPRODUCTIVE AND GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS AND SOME GENETIC PARAMETERS IN TAURUS CEDAR (CEDRUS LIBANI A. RICH) FORESTS

The Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich), which has natural distribution areas decreases due to human impact, is an important part of biodiversity globally. Taurus cedar is one of the species that must be subject to genetic-breeding studies in order to survive by strengthening against biotic and abiotic damages. Fertility variation is a genetic parameter that is preferred and used in genetic-breeding studies because it is cheap and easy. In this study, in southern Turkey, Fethiye-Babadag and Antalya-Elmali natural spread in the region of Taurus cedar populations were examined. The relationships between reproductive traits (strobilus, cone and seed productions) and growth traits (height, diameter at breast height. crown diameter) of 200 individuals from four populations were determined and to estimate some genetic parameters (maleness index, fertility variation, effective number of parents and relative effective number of parents). Although the populations showed similar characteristics in terms of growth characteristics, large differences were found in terms of strobilus and cone production. Seed production was similar in populations. The maleness index was 0.8 in all sampled populations. In the populations, while the coefficient of fertility variation based on seed production was lower, the effective number of parents and relative effective number of parents were higher. The fertility variation coefficient estimated based on cone production varied in terms of good crop year. As a result of the correlation analysis applied, significant (p <0.05) and positive relationships were determined between growth and reproductive characteristics.

Automated summary

The study examined the Taurus cedar populations in southern Turkey, analyzing the relationships between reproductive traits and growth traits, and estimating genetic parameters. Despite similar growth characteristics among populations, significant differences were found in terms of reproductive traits.