Production of hybrid seed in a seed orchard of two larch species, Larix sibirica and Larix decidua

Abstract

The larch seed orchard studied is intended to produce interspecific hybrid seed between Larix sibirica and Larix decidua. Only the L. sibirica clone (half of the grafts) in the orchard was intended to act as the seed parent, and the six L. decidua clones are pollinators. The proportion of hybrid seed produced was determined using Mdh3 locus as a genetic marker. The mean percentage of hybrid seed produced by the grafts of L. decidua was 93, but that of the hybrid seed produced by L. sibirica was only 18. The results can be explained by differences in flowering abundance. The grafts of L. sibirica produced several times more pollen than those of L. decidua. Contrary to the original plans, L. decidua should be used as the seed parent and L. sibirica only as the pollen parent in the studied seed orchard.

Key words:

• hybridization
• isoenzymes
• Larix decidua
• Larix sibirica
• seed orchard
• self‐fertilization.