Wood modulus of elasticity (MOE), also known as wood stiffness, is one of the most important wood properties. Wood stiffness is a measure of the resistance to deflection, and is important because some products such as laminated veneer lumber, plywood, and dimension lumber require stiff and strong wood. Incorporating wood...
Cold hardiness and phenology are important adaptive
traits for perennial plant species in temperate climates.
Timing of growth, dormancy, and associated cold acclimation
and deacclimation represents a delicate balance between
maximizing growth under favorable conditions and minimizing
frost damage under unfavorable conditions. Geographic
patterns of genetic variation in adaptive traits,...
Gene flow is a major evolutionary force and an important factor in the breeding and conservation of forest trees. I studied the applicability of SSR markers for measuring pollen-mediated gene flow (i.e., pollen flow) in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco). I developed SSR markers, tested alternative approaches for measuring pollen...
This thesis is concerned with developing techniques for identifying "superior" Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) parent trees based on seedling progeny evaluation. The growth responses of up to 14 open-pollinated families to shade, drought, and stand density were assessed in four experiments. A technique was developed to compare family height...
One hundred and four seed sources from throughout the range of Douglas-fir (Pseudotecia menzieaii (Plirb.) Franco)
were analysed at 20 enzyme loci to determine patterns of genetic variation and to examine intraspecific phylogeny. On average the seed sources were polymorphic at 37 percent
of the loci (range 5.0-65.0), with mean...
This study had three objectives: (1) to teat the hypothesis that multiple flushing of the terminal shoot (intermittent growth pattern) in Douglas-fir seedlings (Pseudotsuca menziesii var. menziesii) has an adaptive significance, especially in inland populations from the drier regions in southwest Oregon; (2) to evaluate the genetic and adaptive consequences...
To help understand the mechanisms of conifer chloroplast genome evolution, we characterized the nucleotide sequences of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesiz) and
Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) chioroplast DNA that are associated with a length
mutation hotspot and inversion. The chloroplast DNA ofthese two conifers are
characterized by shared large inversions that are...
In order to better understand the evolutionary patterns revealed by molecular
markers, we studied genetic diversity and differentiation of populations and races of
Douglas-fir using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers of nuclear and
mitochondrial origin. We conducted a range-wide survey of RAPD diversity and
differentiation, and compared RAPDs and...
Wood stiffness is one of the most important properties of lumber and veneer. We studied wood stiffness (modulus of elasticity, MOE), wood density, microfibril angle, and knots in a 25 year-old wind pollinated progeny test (50 families, ~ 373 trees) of coastal Douglas-fir to understand the potential for genetically improving...
