Influence of progeny and initial stand density on the relationship between diameter at breast height and knot diameter of Picea abies

摘要

The diameter of the knots in every second whorl was measured in 26 trees of Picea abies in NE France. The trees were of 2 French progenies (from the provenance La Ganne in the Massif Central and from Morzine in the Alps). They were planted in 1970 with initial stand densities ranging from 200 stems to 10 000 stems ha-1. The trees were felled and measured in 1997. Knot diameter was evaluated as mean diameter of the 3 thickest knots at different height intervals and as a vertical profile of the maximum knot diameter in each sample whorl. In all cases the knot diameter was correlated with diameter at breast height. The additional effects of progeny and initial stand density were significant, but slight compared with the effect of diameter at breast height.