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Genetics of second flushing in a French population of coastal Douglas-fir

The genetic control of second flushing and its relationships with stem height and forking defects were investigated in a coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii [Mirb] Franco) progeny test containing 64 open-pollinated families. Mean frequency of second flushing (FSF) in family plots decreased from 0.51 at age 5 to 0.27 at age 10. The estimated family heritability of FSF exceeded 0.60 (mean = 0.68) at ages 5 to 7, but at age 10 was 0.50. At ages 6 and 7, trees were scored for flushing type severity (SFS), based on expected propensity to produce forking defects. Estimated genetic correlations between FSF and SFS were high in both years (r A > 0.77). Mean FSF (over 4 years) had moderate and positive genetic correlations with both height at age 13 (HT13; r A = 0.60) and amount of forking assessed at age 10 (FK10; r A = 0.66). Thus, is not possible to maximize genetic gain in juvenile height growth without also increasing forking. Fortunately, the genetic correlation between HT13 and FK10 is weak enough (r A = 0.53) that height growth can be improved without increasing forking defects. Nevertheless, expectations based on selection index methods indicate selection for greater juvenile height will increase FSF, even if forking is limited to no change, unless FSF is constrained as well. Constraining FSF, however would severely limit potential for height-growth gains. The desirability of liming change in FSF depends on the extent to which increased FSF increases susceptibility to damage from late season drought or early fall frost