Determination of age-age correlation and optimum selection age through juvenile selection efficiency in pinus densiflora S. et Z.

Open-pollinated progeny test was established with 58 families of Pinus densiflora plus trees. Heights of 1,2,5,6,8,11,13, and 14 years after planting were measured and analyzed statistically. Heritability was 0.72 at age 1 but gradually decreased to 0.15 at age 14. Genetic and phenotypic correlation based on the log of the ratio of the two ages (LAR) was expressed as simple regression with statistical significance (r²=0.8617, 0.8573). Genetic age-age correlation was bit lower than phenotypic age-age correlation. When the mature age of P. densiflora was assumed as 30 years best efficient selection age was 11 years after planting with efficiency (E) of 1.23.