During 1998, provenance trail was established by a forest industry cooperative to study the genetic variation of aspen provenances at Athabasca in Alberta (Fig.1; Table 1). A total of 43 half-sib families were tested in this experiment. Sowing of seed occurred in the spring of 1997 at a provincial commercial nursery. Dormant seedlings were raised at the end of the first growing season and held in cold storage over winter before being planted at experimental site in the spring of 1998. Trail was established with a border row of two trees. Seedlings that did not survive the first growing season in the field were replaced in the fall with surplus planting stock from the same treatment. Experimental site was maintained with vegetation control for the first three years with a combination of mechanical and chemical means. At trial site, provenances were planted in a randomized complete block design with six blocks in five tree row plots. Provenances growth was measured to determine genetic variation.
Fig. 1 Map of Canada showing site location and source of provenances.
Data analysis
Prior to statistical analysis, all data were carefully examined for errors with bar plots to identify errors in measurements and data entry. Analysis of variance and Tukey's HSD test was carried out on R software to compare the means of provenances.
Prior to statistical analysis, all data were carefully examined for errors with bar plots to identify errors in measurements and data entry. Analysis of variance and Tukey's HSD test was carried out on R software to compare the means of provenances.