Pine Tree Hybridization

[Tom]

I spent most of my life ignorant to the fact that pines hybridize.  Not that I don't know better but because it just didn't dawn on me.

A few years ago, I sawed for an independent forester from Brunswick, Ga. and the conversation turned to this subject.  He described several hybrids and told me a list of funny sounding names that described them.  The jyst of the conversation was that hybrids generally take the worst characteristics of both trees and produce an inferior product.  Pond pine is one hybridizes readily with most all pines and when it crosses with long-leaf you end up with a slow growing, inferior wood.

I read on this subject often but am unable to find much I can understand.  These are sites where I have recently visited and found interesting.  They report that the long-leaf x slash is the only southern pine cross with a name.  That forester listed several names.  Do any of you have any layman's information on the subject?

http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/sfnmc/class/longleaf.html

Sonderegger pine (Pinus x sondereggeri H.H. Chapm.) is a natural hybrid between longleaf and loblolly pine. It is the only named southern pine hybrid. Longleaf pine seedlings frequently contain a low percentage (1%) of hybrid seed. However, in some cases the amount may be as much as 33%. Hybrids are easy to locate in nurserybeds since the hybrid does not have a grass stage and will be taller at lifting than pure longleaf.
(pictures of seedlings were here)

http://wildwnc.org/trees/Pinus_echinata.html

Several artificial hybrids have been produced with shortleaf pine. They are of special interest because they offer the opportunity to combine specific qualities of individual species. For example, shortleaf pine can be crossed with slash pine (Pinus elliottii) to yield progeny that are resistant to fusiform rust, a disease to which slash pine is highly susceptible. Shortleaf pine has been successfully crossed with slash, loblolly, longleaf, and Sonderegger pines (P. elliottii, P. taeda, P. palustris, and P. x sondereggeri) (50,55). Some of the hybrids have also been backcrossed. Shortleaf pine x loblolly pine hybrids have also shown resistance to fusiform rust, have grown as well as or better than one or both parents, and have shown increased resistance to cold and ice damage (30). Characteristics of most shortleaf hybrids, as well as other pine hybrids, are intermediate between the parent species. Fusiform rust resistance of shortleaf x slash hybrids, however, is closer to shortleaf pine than slash pine (66). The longleaf x shortleaf pine hybrid is difficult to produce and crosses have yielded only a few seedlings. These have shown intermediate characteristics, but seedling height growth was not delayed as it is characteristically for longleaf pine.

http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/sfnmc/class/seedsource.html

(this I have found the most interesting but still lacking)

The southern pine species often hybridize in areas where different species occupy the same sites. The most common natural hybrids are Sonderregger pine (longleaf x loblolly) (Chapman 1922), loblolly x shortleaf pine (Zobel 1953), and loblolly x pond pine (Saylor and Kang 1973).

[L. Wakefield]

   Without knowing anything about it, I predict if they haven't yet looked at genetic modification, they will. And they'll ber likely to start with fast-growing, economically significant species. That'd be pine.    lw

[swampwhiteoak]

Pitlolly pine (Loblolly X Pitch) is grown a lot in Southern Ohio.  Most of the state is too far north for true loblolly (though that doesn't keep some from trying).  

[L. Wakefield]

   Yay Swamp! I see you there on the map! This is so much fun.. I honestly think it's useful too- at least in my mental construct- cuz it allows me to put your post together with my concept of the country in those parts. Our wind was howling too, last night, but I think Ohio had the record. I saw it was 84mph somewhere.

   Out near Boulder, Co. they had built some cool-looking houses near the Flatirons. The roofs kind of echoed the Flatirons in pitch and orientation (same as Red Rocks, if you've ever been out to Morrison, Co. I think it's all called the Morrison formation). So- but..there was one year when the wind got to I think it was 74mph- and the pitch of the Flatirons gave a good bit of lift to that wind- and some of those roofs (they were big roofs) came right off. It was probably about '76 or '77. Hopefully they engineered a modification to prevent another occurence. :   lw

[Tom]

Hmmmmmmm  I'll bet they certified their carpenters and put ink on their two-by-fours.  :D

[Bud Man]

Tom---  I know that what sometimes seems inferior often times  has a hidden agenda, as in a hybrid that is misunderstood  Hybridization and mutation is often the origin of a new species.  Take for example the Grass Stage of your own region's Longleaf pine species,  the Grass Stage was natures way of allowing the Longleaf Pine to reach maturity even though It lenghtened the juvenile time period the species goes through.  The Grass Stage is the needle cluster that surrounds the terminal bud and the purpose of protecting the bud was nature's way to protect the Longleaf from the reocurring fires caused by lightening in a semi tropical climate and also the habits of the Native American's opening of the forest and burning the hammocks. The extended juvenile period of growth of the Longleaf did two things.  It made the early growth slow and the rings tight, that's good and bad, good for lumber and bad because of the time it took  to reach maturity and fast growth levels. Prior to planned  usage of controlled fires to release the Longleaf from it's Grass Stage it was a hard species to manage because of the variation within trees to release themselves from the Grass Stage.(5 to 25 years)  But with the addition of fire the Longleaf is greatly accepted as one of our most valuable Pine species even though naval stores are no longer harvested much.   A thousand miles to the North, the Jack Pine evolved into the reverse of the Longleaf in that fire aids the Jack Pine in dispersal of the seeds into a forest that has been cleared of competition. The cones won't open with desired or needed regularity without being subjected to fire, and Pines being intolerant to shade needed fire to kill off the competition.       The Cedrus libani(another genus of the Pinaceae or Pine) known as  Lebanon Cedar of Biblical times is today herralded only because of it's longevity.  Time is the key and what we perceive as inferior on the front end may in the long run become the entity to improve or replace an American Chestnut for example.  Even though we probably won't live long enough to see the change appear "Sometimes Change Is Good"

[Bud Man]

LW - Genetic modification is being studied around the clock and with 6 Billion People using paper, T.P., and wanting new homes.   I'm betting on the" Southern Yellow  Pine" and with the development of the new super pine specie -  Tissue Culture's will be the seeds.

[L. Wakefield]

   I keep running into tissue culture or meristemming- first with orchids and more recently with their kin, ladyslippers. it's a technique I wish I had control of- I'm still working at rooting cuttings, over wintering my tropicals, and hoping to get my first greenhouse. So much insanity to try, so little time.. :D :D :D  lw

[Bud Man]

LW   T.C. or Meristemming has eliminating seed germination in many many herbaceous plants. It's easier and gets plants to a maturity level quicker-- similar to grafting of scion's on apples, pears, pecans, etc......skips juvenile years of non reproductive period.                          LW -- I bet you got room beside your conifer still for a Kitchen Culture Kit --tap up : kck@turbonet.com -- that eat up any spare time if you ever get any. :D :D