earticle

영어

The timing of seed harvesting is an important decision in the management of seed orchards because it affects seed quality and yield. To investigate the effect of cone harvest time on seed quality and determine the optimal harvesting time, cones were regularly collected in seven times and germination tests were performed at each harvest time in two clonal seed orchards of Chamaecyparis obtusa. As cones developed, the percentage of seed germination increased before cone moisture content began to decrease significantly. The moisture contents of cones were highest at the first collection as 68.3% and 67.3% in Jeju and Gochang seed orchards respectively. At this time, germination speed was slowest, indicating poor seed vigour. The highest germination was found at the second stage in Jeju (36.5%) and at the seventh stage in Gochang (28.6%) seed orchard. The germination speed increased as cone moisture content decreased. Additionally, changes of seed vigour differed among the developmental stages in both seed orchards. Consequently, the optimal cone harvest time of C. obtusa seed orchards in Jeju was early September when high germination percentage was obtained. In Gochang seed orchards, late October was optimal cone harvest time when the germination speed was fast and the cone moisture content decreased.