Austin Heine
Forestry - PhD
Bio
- Degree Program: PhD, Forestry Management
- Previous Degree: M.S. Forestry Management, NC State University; B.S. Forest Management, NC State University minor in Business Administration
- Advisors: Dr. Steve McKeand; Dr. Fikret Isik
- Thesis: Comparison of Pollination Bags for Mass Production of Controlled Cross Seeds in Loblolly Pine.
- Thesis Date: 2018-03-27
Research
COMPARISON OF POLLINATION BAGS FOR MASS PRODUCTION OF CONTROL CROSS SEEDS IN LOBLOLLY PINE
Over the past 10 years, deployment of full-sib families has gained prominence relative to traditional improved loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedling stock, such as open-pollinated families or seed orchard mixes. To produce control cross seed, a pollination bag must be used to isolate female strobili from outside pollen contamination, and a single, known pollen is applied at time of maximum female strobili receptivity. In the spring of 2014, the members and staff of the NCSU Cooperative Tree Improvement Program designed and installed a study to compare four pollination bag prototypes. Bags from PBS International were compared to the industry-standard Lawson pollination bag with and without a support wire. Open pollinated flowers were also added as control treatments to this study. The main objective of this study is to compare seed yields and seed efficiencies of cones produced from these bags to determine the optimal bag for maximizing production efficiency of control cross loblolly pine seed.