Performance of Different Provenances of Chir Pine in Comparison to Pinus Caribaea, Pinus patula and Pinus kesiya in the Sub-Himalayan Zone

An experiment having 15 treatments comprising of twelve provenance of chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) and one provenance each of P. caribaea. P. potula and P. kesiya was laid out in a rondomized block design with three replications and 36 plants per plot at the Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun (India) during 1974, to select suitable provenances/species for afforestation under the sub-Himalayan conditions. The results of the study at the end of three years growth show that P. patula, P. caribaea and P. kesiya gave significantly better height increment than the different provenances of chir pine. lhe Dalhausie, Kulu, Nahan, Durkoti-Chamba and Bilaspur provenances of chir pine gave better diameter increment than P. caribaea, but these provenances of chir pine were inferior in diameter increment to P. patula and P. kesiya, there, however, being no significant difference in diameter increment between P. patula, P. kesiya and the Saraj provenance of chir pine. Different provenances of the indigenous chir pine gave significantly better survival per cent than the three exotic pines under trial. Based on the overall performance in terms of height and diameter growth and survival per cent, P. patula was adjudged as the best species followed by the Saraj, Debra Dun and Bilaspur provenances of chir pine.