Genetic and environmental vessel control differ between 10-year-old Dipteryx alata (Fabaceae) provenances

Wood is better conserved when compared with its morphological characteristics. Then, it is expected that differences between provenances are kept in their progenies and that differences in genetic control are mostly due to the origin of seeds rather than the environmental conditions of the planting sites. Thus, we hypothesize that trees that grow in the same location but come from different provenances will maintain their wood structure in the next generation, without the occurrence of alterations due to the climatic conditions of the place of origin, despite the different abiotic factors that may prevail in the place of planting. To test our working question, we estimated the genetic parameters of Dipteryx alata for wood vessels along the growth rings and determined whether differences between provenance trees may be due to genetic or environmental effects. After 10 years of growth, we measured the dbh (diameter at breast height), height, vessel diameter, and vessel density in each growth ring of trees from three provenances, which were the states of Minas Gerais-MG, Goiás-GO, and Mato Grosso do Sul-MS. We sampled 124 trees among the three provenances. There were significant differences between provenances in silvicultural traits and vessel features. However, values of individual heritabilities in the strict sense, coefficients of individual additive genetic variation, and coefficients of experimental/environmental variation, all fluctuated widely between growth rings, but with no increase or decrease of these parameters being detected during tree growth. We also observed a difference in the magnitude of genetic control and environmental influence between provenances. The MS provenance had a superior performance in vessel diameter, while the GO provenance presented better results in terms of vessel density. So, considering better genetic control throughout all the rings, the GO provenance was considered the most suitable for breeding programs that aim at increasing these attributes.