Growth phenology and mating system of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) in central Spain

Abstract

The study of the mating systems of forest species is important both in forest management and breeding. In this work, we analyzed the phenology of diameter growth, the phenology of female and male flowering, and the seed yield in a native stand of maritime pine (from Meseta Castellana provenance) during the years 1999 and 2000. Maritime pine showed a long vegetative period in the study area (8.6 months). The male flowering period lasted 15 days whereas the female flowering lasted four weeks. Maximum pollen production occurred when most female strobili reached their maximum receptivity. Individual female strobilus production was medium-high in the studied stand (annual mean about 30 strobili per tree) and there was a remarkable correlation between both years. During the studied period, a high seed yield was observed (300,000 seeds/ha estimated in year 2000) and no limitation to natural regeneration due to mating system is expected