Article Valuation of the Economic Benefits from Using Genetically Improved Forest Reproductive Materials in Afforestation Nicu Marcu 1,2, Marius Budeanu 3,*, Ecaterina Nicoleta Apostol 4 and Raul Gheorghe Radu 3 1 Academy of Economic Studies, 6 Pia¸taRomană street, 010374 Bucharest, Romania; [email protected] 2 Institute of National Economy—Romanian Academy, 13 Septembrie street, 050731 Bucharest, Romania 3 National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry “Marin Drăcea”, Bra¸sovResearch Station, 13 Clo¸scastreet, 500040 Bra¸sov, Romania; [email protected] 4 National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry “Marin Drăcea”, Voluntari, 128 Eroilor Blvd., 077190 Ilfov, Romania; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +40-726-009-162 Received: 6 March 2020; Accepted: 25 March 2020; Published: 27 March 2020 Abstract: The research objective was to demonstrate the economic impact of using, in afforestation, forest reproductive materials (FRMs) obtained from seed trees selected in the most valuable Norway spruce populations of the FGRs’ (forest genetic resources’) category. The values obtained for the main growth traits (diameter at breast height (Dbh), tree height (Th), and tree volume (Tv)), both in the FGR and in the closest population (with the same age and growth in similar environmental conditions), were compared. Three comparative trials were analyzed, each belonging to different breeding levels: Open-pollinated (Bre¸tcu,40 years old), half-sib (Măneciu, 25 years), and full-sib (Comandău, 23 years). The difference in volume/hectare between the FGR and an unimproved neighbor population was economically quantified (¿), based on the average price per cubic meter (m3) of spruce wood in Romania; the profit at the end of the rotation period (110 years) was projected taking into account the genetic gain that will result from the use of FRM collected from the FGRs. The average FGR growth results were superior to the unimproved neighbor populations, with 8%–13%, 14%–25%, and 26%–79% for Dbh, Th, and volume/ha, respectively, and the differences increased if the best 10% seed trees of the trials were used. For Th, a five times higher family mean heritability was registered for the pendula trees (compared to pyramidalis) in the half-sib trial, while in the full-sib experiment, the pendula trees (both full and half pendula) again registered higher heritability, but for Dbh, which recommends the pendula selection for different traits in the two trials. These results have led to a rate of profitability between 540 and 3366 ¿/ha, a value that is predicted to increase until the end of the rotation period, when the genetic gain could generate a profit of 7560 ¿/ha. Keywords: biodiversity; breeding strategy; economic analysis; forest values; genetic gain; heritability 1. Introduction Forest ecosystems, managed properly, offer important resources for direct economic goods (e.g., timber) [1], additional wooden products, numerous nontimber forest products (fruits, oils, medicinal plants, etc.), and support other economic activities, for instance, agriculture and fisheries [2]. The relationship between forest ecosystems and the forest industry requires a balance between the needs of industry and the development of natural ecosystems [3]. The continuously increasing demand for wood requires the identification of solutions to increase the production of wood/ha. This could be achieved, among other methods, by using genetically improved forest reproductive material (FRM) in plantations [4–6]. Additionally, increasingly climatic disturbances affect trees’ resistance and Forests 2020, 11, 382; doi:10.3390/f11040382 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests Forests 2020, 11, 382 2 of 13 their physiological processes [7]. The selection of an adapted population and seed trees inside them represents a chance to increase forest stability and productivity over the next generations of breeding programs by using FRM from these populations [8–15]. In the last 100 years, artificial regeneration has continually increased [16,17] and numerous allochthonous species have been used [18–23]. Identification, conservation, and management strategies for forest genetic resources (FGRs) are of high interest for geneticists [24]. The conservation of FGRs is important for maintaining genetic diversity in large populations (minimum 500 seed trees/population), preserving specific adaptations in marginal/peripheral populations (minimum 50 seed trees/population), and conserving rare species in relict populations (minimum 15 seed trees/population) [25]. The dynamic FGR conservation strategy [24] was implemented in Romania, as well as 32 other European countries. As sequencing of the Norway spruce genome is complete [26], the genomic selection can be combined with traditional breeding programs, constituting a giant leap in tree breeding [27,28]. The objective of the present paper was to demonstrate the economic importance of using, in afforestation, the FRM obtained from seed trees selected in the most valuable populations, within the FGR’s category. For a very important species of the Romanian [29] and European forests [30,31], Norway spruce (Picea abies), we compared the values obtained for the main growth traits (diameter at breast height (Dbh), tree height (Th), and tree volume (Tv)) both in the FGR, and in the closest unimproved population with approximately the same age and benefiting from similar environmental conditions. Additionally, the average values recorded in the FGR were compared to the average values at the country level. Differences in trees volume/hectare between FGRs and the closest unimproved populations were transformed into euros (¿), taking into account the average price per cubic meter (m3) of spruce wood in Romania. Additionally, the profit at the end of the rotation period (110 years) was projected based on the genetic gain that would result from the use of FRM collected from the FGRs. 2. Materials and Methods Three comparative trials from different breeding levels were investigated: One open-pollinated (Bre¸tcu,40 years), one half-sib (Măneciu, 25 years), and one full-sib (Comandău, 23 years). Data for the nearest similar stands (same ages and similar environmental conditions) were also taken. The Bre¸tcutrial was established in the ecological optimum for Norway spruce, in the Curvature Carpathians region (i.e., the inner zone of the Carpathian chain), at a 1100-m average altitude (a.s.l.), at 45◦58’ N latitude and 26◦24’ E longitude, in a mountainous mixed-stand vegetation forest. The slope has a northeast exposition with a 15◦ inclination. The soil is typical eutricambosoil. The average annual temperature was 4.8 ◦C, and the sum of the annual precipitation was 830 mm [32]. In this trial, 33 seed stand provenances (Figure1) were tested in an incomplete balanced square-grid design, with three replications and 49 seedlings/plot, planted with 2 m by 2 m spacing. Every provenance was composed of progenies obtained from bulked seeds harvested from 10 trees [33]. In each replication, 10 trees/provenance were randomly chosen and the diameter at breast height (Dbh) and tree height (Th) were measured. At the office, tree volume (Tv) was determined using the volume regression equation method [34]. The Măneciu comparative trial was also located in the Curvature Carpathians, but on the outside zone of the Carpathian chain, in a superior productivity forest type. The soil is also typical eutricambosoil, but on a slope with southern exposition, 10◦ inclination, at an altitude of 820 m, 45◦25’ N latitude and 25◦57’ E longitude. The average annual temperature here is 6.0 ◦C, and the sum of the annual precipitation is 880 mm. In this trial, the experimental design was incompletely balanced, with four replications and 4–10 seedlings per plot planted with 2 m by 2 m spacing, in which each of the eight provenances (yellow circles, in Figure1) were represented by descendants obtained from seeds harvested from three pendula and three normal crown spruce trees, resulting in a total number of 24 families for each of the two crown forms [35]. The Măneciu trial was installed in order to test the behavior of the narrow-crown Norway spruce ideotype (pendula form), which was believed to be Forests 2020, 11, 382 3 of 13 Forests 2020, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 13 stronger thanthan thethe normal normal spruce spruce crown crown (pyramidalis (pyramidalisvariety) variety in) thein the face face of harmfulof harmful action action of storms of storms and heavyand heavy snows snows [36,37 [36,3]. 7]. Figure 1. Location of the trials and the tested population’spopulation’s origin.origin. TheThe ComandComandăuău comparative trial trial was was also also established in the ecological optimum for Norway spruce, in the Curvature Carpathians regionregion (inner(inner zonezone ofof the Carpathian chain), at a 1020 1020-m-m average altitude (a.s.l.),(a.s.l.), 45 45˚42’◦42’ N N latitude latitude and and 26 ◦26˚18’18’ E longitude, E longitude, in mountainous in mountainous mixed-stand mixed-stand vegetation vegetation forest offorest superior of superior productivity. productivity The slope. The hasslope anorth has aexposition, north exposition, and a 16and◦ inclination; a 16° inclination the soil; the is typical soil is districambosoil.typical districambosoil. The average The annualaverage temperature annual temperature is 4.8 ◦C andis 4.8 the °C sum and of thethe annualsum of precipitation the annual isprecipitation 880 mm. The is 880 design mm. wasThe design incompletely was incompletely balanced, with balanced, 4 replications with 4 replications and 3–9 seedlings and 3–9 seedlings per split plot,per split planted plot, atplanted 2.5 by at 2.5 2.5 m by spacing, 2.5 m spacing, in which in which the descendants the descendants of six of families six families (three (threependula pendulaand threeand threepyramidalis pyramidalis) obtained) obtained through through open open or or controlled controlled pollinated pollinated in in the the St Stânaâna de de ValeVale populationpopulation (the(the blue circle,circle , inin FigureFigure1 1)) were were present present [ [77].].