Growth and morphological characteristics of pinus rigida miller and its hybrids crossed with sourthern pine in Korea

Interspecific hybrids between pitch pine and some southern pines were examined on their growth and morphological characteristics. The hybrid pines included in this study were Pinus rigida×P. taeda F₁, P. rigida×P. elliottii F₁, and P. rigida×P. echinata F₁, P. rigida×P. radiata F₁ and P. rigida×P. serotina F₁, which have been grown for more than 15-year-old. P. rigida×P. taeda F₁ showed the best growth in height, diameter, mean tree volume and stand volume per hectare among all hybrid pines at all 8 locations throughout the nation. The next best hybrid pines were P. rigida×P, elliottii F₁ and P. rigida×P. serotina F₁. However, P. rigida×P. radiatea F₁. and P. rigida×P. echinata F₁ rather grew poorer than pitch pine. Growth patterns of the hybrid pines were also compared among four different locations. In Daeduck, Chungnam and Wanju, Chonbuk, hybrid pines did not show and growth retardation after 20 years. Some morphological characteristics such as, bark thickness, the number of epicormic sprout, and various needle characteristics were significantly different among hybrid pine species. The fast growing P. rigida×P. taeda F₁ had the longest needle, thinnest bark, fewest epicormic sprout and the most straight stem. The greatest nubmer of stomata per 1㎟ was shown by P. rigida×P. taeda F₁, and followed by P. rigida×P. serotina F₁, P. rigida×P. elliottii F₁, P. rigida×P. radiata F₁ and P. rigida×P. eachinata F₁ in descending order.