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Tree improvement programs select genotypes for faster growth, at both early and late stages, to increase yields over unimproved material, and the improvement is frequently attributed to genetic control in growth parameters among genotypes. Underutilized genetic variability among genotypes also has the potential to ensure future gains are possible. However, the genetic variation in growth, physiology and hormone control among genotypes generated from different breeding strategies has not been well characterized in conifers. We assessed growth, biomass, gas exchange, gene expression and hormone levels in white spruce seedlings obtained from three different breeding strategies (controlled crosses, polymix pollination, open pollination) using parents grafted into a clonal seed orchard in Alberta, Canada. A pedigree-based best linear unbiased prediction (ABLUP) mixed model was implemented to quantify variability and narrow-sense heritability for target traits. The levels of several hormones and expression of gibberellinrelated genes in apical internodes were also determined. Over the first two years of development, the estimated heritabilities for height, volume, total dry biomass, above ground dry biomass, root:shoot ratio and root length, varied between 0.10 and 0.21, with height having the highest value. The ABLUP values showed large genetic variability in growth and physiology traits both between families from different breeding strategies, and within families. The principal component analysis showed that developmental and hormonal traits explained 44.2% and 29.4% of the total phenotypic variation between the three different breeding strategies and two growth groups. In general, controlled crosses from the fast growth group showed the best apical growth, with more accumulation of indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid, phaseic acid, and a 4-fold greater gene expression of PgGA3ox1 in genotypes from controlled crosses versus those from open pollination. However, in some cases, open pollination from the fast and slow growth groups showed the best root development, higher water use efficiency (iWUE and d13C) and more accumulation of zeatin and isopentenyladenosine. Inconclusion, tree domestication can lead to trade-offs between growth, carbon allocation, photosynthesis, hormone levels and gene expression, and we encourage the use of this phenotypic variation identified in improved and unimproved trees to advance white spruce tree improvement programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi colonizing fine roots of containerized Picea glauca seedlings were assessed in four large conifer nurseries in northern Alberta. PCR amplification of fungal rDNA (internal transcribed spacer and a portion of the 5? end of the large subunit gene) from random samples of fine feeder roots gave between 1 and 4 amplicons per seedling. Amplicons were either separated by electrophoresis and sequenced directly, or cloned and sequenced. The resulting sequences were compared to sequences obtained from cultures established from seedling roots and from GenBank by maximum parsimony analysis. ITS sequences formed 11 distinct clades, each including at least one reference sequence. The ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes Thelephora americana and Amphinema byssoides were dominant, whereas ascomycetes were less common. Fungi with sequences similar to members of the Heleotiales which form ericoid mycorrhizas were also present. Correspondence analysis revealed strong positive and negative associations among fungal taxa as well as an influence of applied fertilizer level on fungal diversity and species composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]