PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF GENETIC-VARIATION OF WEEVIL RESISTANCE IN INTERIOR SPRUCE IN BRITISH-COLUMBIA

White pine weevil (Pissodes strobi (Peck)) damage in three interior spruce open-pollinated progeny tests in north central British Columbia was evaluated to examine the patterns of attack among families. While the overall incidence of damage was different across sites (i.e., Quesnel 9%, Red Rock 37%, and Aleza Lake 63%), correlations on a family-mean basis (percentage attacked per family) at Red Rock and Quesnel as well as Red Rock and Aleza Lake were significant (r = 0.63 and 0.71, respectively). Estimates of family heritability across sites for damage was high (h(f) = 0.77 +/- 0.11), but individual heritability was only moderate (h(i) = 0.18 +/- 0.03). More vigorous families, as determined by 10-year family mean height superiority prior to weevil attack, were damaged less frequently than those with average and poorer performance. Negative correlations of mean family height at 10 years of age with incidence of damage (on a family-mean basis) and mean family diameter with incidence of damage were significant (r = -0.51 and -0.44, respectively). These data suggest that there is a moderate genetic basis for resistance to weevil attack in interior spruce and that selection for height and diameter growth may improve resistance to weevil attack.