Steps for improving characteristics of trees of the West Virginia origins of balsam fir used for Christmas trees include:
At OSU/OARDC, three of these steps are being taken. In 1980, two seed production areas were established at the Pomerene Forest Laboratory near Coshocton, Ohio, using all of the trees of the Canaan Valley, West Virginia, origin of balsam fir that had been used in the original study that compared West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York origins of balsam fir (Brown 1983). Those trees, which represent a stand collection having natural genetic variation associated with trees from that area, are now producing viable seed for use by the nursery/Christmas tree industries. Plans are also being made to remove individual trees from those orchards that have less desirable tree and foliage characteristics.
The experimental planting at the USDA North Appalachian Experimental Watershed Laboratory used in the research reported here has been thinned from the original 1,200 to approximately 300 trees based on half-sib family performance and phenotypic characteristics of trees. This area will serve as an "improved" seed orchard, which will be a source of seed when appreciable quantities of viable seed are produced in approximately five to 10 years.
In addition, 55 individual trees - ortets - were selected in that orchard, again based on the best families and phenotypes. In March 1999, scions collected from those trees were grafted onto root-stock of Canaan Valley trees, and those trees will be used to establish a clonal seed orchard at OSU/OARDC at Wooster in the spring of 2000. In addition, root-stock was potted in April 1999 to use for additional grafts to be made in the springs of 2000 and 2001. Efforts to establish new seed orchards, such as those being established at OARDC and at other locations, take on additional significance because of the presence of the balsam wooly adelgid/aphid (Adelges picea) in all of the natural stands of balsam fir in West Virginia. This pest has been responsible for decimation of many of the natural Fraser fir stands, and it is probable that the same fate is in store for the West Virginia populations. Mortality of individual trees is already occurring in most stands, and that is likely to accelerate as pest populations continue to build up.