Introduction
The research mentioned here is important because it is empirical evidence to support or refute the claim of how improved “improved/elite” seedlots are when directly compared to their unimproved seedlot counterparts. I aim to determine if elite or improved seedlings do grow better than unimproved, as well as examine the effect of drought and fungal infection on seedlings growth. A further avenue to continue this research, aligning with current focus in Alberta, would be to examine the trade-off of growth and climate adaptability overall (not just in term of two specific environmental stressors). Ideally for the future, as the climate in our region continues to change, we would want trees that grow quickly and also are able to withstand these changes.
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Expected Results:
I expect that the elite seedlings will perform the best in terms of growth measurements, followed by the improved seedlings and then unimproved. I think that breeding class will significantly impact differences in seedling growth, as will the exposure to environmental stressors. I think that drought and fungal infection will be a significant deterrent to seedling growth.
I expect that the elite seedlings will perform the best in terms of growth measurements, followed by the improved seedlings and then unimproved. I think that breeding class will significantly impact differences in seedling growth, as will the exposure to environmental stressors. I think that drought and fungal infection will be a significant deterrent to seedling growth.