Genotype-environment interaction and F₂ seed progeny productivity in the genus Betula L

Voronezh State University of Forestry and Technologies, Voronezh, Russia

^* Corresponding author: labgen@vglta.vrn.ru

Abstract

Creation and study of the potential of bioresource collections (BC) of living organisms, including woody plants, is one of the priority areas of the state policy of the Russian Federation. The Voronezh Region is unique for studying the genus Betula, since two species of this genus naturally grow here: diploid - silver birch and tetraploid - downy birch. These and introduced species, complex hybrids, as well as their reciprocal hybrids are the basis of BC F1 and F2; provide selection for somatic and adaptive heterosis. The seed progeny (families) of F2 growing in conditions of leached chernozem were tested - C-4, C-20, C-27, C-31 and C-51 (silver birch); B-3, B-11, B-12, B-20 (downy birch); hybrids C-2 x b. The article presents data on the growth of birch hybrids from different subsections: Albae (Betula mandshurica Nakai, B. papyrifera Marsh., B. pendula Roth and B. pubescens Ehrh.) and Costatae (Betula lenta L.). The age of the test crops is 32 years. The possibility of obtaining intersectional birch hybrids and the prospects of crossing for obtaining genotypes with a large habitus, in which the paternal component exceeds the maternal one in terms of ploidy level, are shown.