Considerable genetic differences in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) exist for growth, stem form, and wood quality traits that influence biomass/biofuel production. By planting genetically superior trees with desirable biomass/biofuel traits, it is possible to substantially increase the amount of biomass and potential sawtimber trees produced from plantations. Ten of the fastest growing loblolly pine families from two provenances, Atlantic Coastal Plain and Piedmont, were tested for their biomass potential in North Carolina on a Piedmont site. At this northern Piedmont site at age six years, there were no provenance differences for biomass production or for trees with sawtimber potential. Variation in volume and sawtimber potential was significant at the family level. For biomass plantations, risks can be mitigated because of shorter rotation length, allowing for a higher-risk seed lot to capture greater gains in terms of volume. For a longer-rotation sawtimber stand, a more conservative family deployment strategy should be considered to maintain stem quality at the end of the rotation. Understanding the different seed source families and harvest regimes is essential to ensure profitable returns from pine plantations.

中文翻译：

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北卡罗来纳州皮埃蒙特火炬松生物量潜力的来源和家族变异

火炬松 (Pinus taeda L.) 在影响生物质/生物燃料生产的生长、茎型和木材质量性状方面存在相当大的遗传差异。通过种植具有理想生物量/生物燃料特性的遗传优良树木，可以显着增加种植园生产的生物量和潜在锯材树的数量。来自大西洋沿岸平原和皮埃蒙特两个原产地的 10 个生长最快的火炬松科在北卡罗来纳州的皮埃蒙特地点进行了生物质潜力测试。在这个 6 岁的北部皮埃蒙特地区，生物质生产或具有锯材潜力的树木没有来源差异。数量和锯材潜力的变化在家庭层面是显着的。对于生物质种植园，由于轮作长度较短，可以减轻风险，允许更高风险的种子批次在数量方面获得更大的收益。对于较长旋转的锯材支架，应考虑采用更保守的家庭部署策略，以在旋转结束时保持杆质量。了解不同的种子来源家族和收获制度对于确保松树种植园的盈利回报至关重要。