Plus trees identification of oriental Beech by normalization equations in Dr. Bahramnia forestry plan, Gorgan

Forest tree breeding programs with the selection of plus trees in natural stands are very important to reach the highest utilization and production rate of the forests and products. Identification of Beech plus trees as one of the most important productive species in the northern forests of Iran has high value for gen preservation and extension of its stands. Thus, pure and mixed beech compartments in the first district ofShast Kalateh forests in Gorgan, were selected as the main distribution area of this species. Forty six candidate trees were identified by comparision method and were evaluated for twenty quantitative and qualitative traits with control trees. Then, final plus trees were determined using characters weighing and using scoring method based on calculation of the normalization equations. The results indicated that thirty seven individuals of total candidate trees and nine individuals of control trees were determined as final plus trees based on normalization equations of their grades. The results showed that this method has high precision in segregation of differences between plus and non-plus trees. Total height, stem direction, undulating and diameter growth, stem length without branch, branch angle and canopy polarity were known as important traits in identification of beech final plus trees.