Correlation between the Spectrometric Parameters of Coniferous Seeds and the Molecular Indicators of Seedlings: Is It Possible to Apply It in Practice?

Coniferous seeds as an integral part of Forest Reproductive Material (FRM) are a fairly valuable product that is transported by trade operations over long distances. Seed quality determines the rate of reforestation. Improving quality indicators and increasing the competitiveness of forest seeds is one of the promising directions of a few country’s forestry development strategy and an opportunity to integrate into global reforestation initiatives. Based on the direct interaction of biophysical studies of seed spectrometric parameters, implementation of their genotype in different environmental conditions, biometric studies of seedling growth and development and genetic conditioning of these components, it is possible to develop and test a comprehensive concept for obtaining FRM with high quality indicators. What practical application can be expected? First, it is possible to study genetic variability among the seeds of the studied species, using molecular DNA markers. This would help obtain a comprehensive and categorical classification of samples that illustrates the genetic similarity and relationship structure relative to the desired characteristics of seedlings and seeds with high viability rates. Genetic and spectrometric data could be further combined to build a consensus tree of genetic similarity. Second, algorithms could be developed for integrating these parameters in the FRM-Library database to synchronize the quality indicators of forest reproduction material, with information processing devices of optoelectronic graders and phenoseeders. Third, methods and algorithms could be developed for optimal selection of technology for coniferous seeds grading of different breeding values. These would be developed based on data extracted from the FRM-Library database for the production of forest reproductive material, considering various goals and frontier methods of contemporary forest landscape restoration.