Current status of International Beech Provenance Trial in Ukraine (Bu19_19) from the 1993/95 series started by Institute of Forest Genetics, Großhansdorf

The European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is one of the most important tree species in Europe. In order to understand the breeding and biological aspects of the species, the Institute of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding (Großhansdorf, Germany) has carried out several series of provenance trials in collaboration with researchers throughout Europe. The most extensive series was the International Beech Provenance Trial 1993/95 (established in 1995). One of the provenance trials, Bu19_19 (Roztochja), involving 70 provenances from 10 European countries, was established in Ukraine at the north-eastern edge of the species’ natural range. We investigated survival and DBH at this site in May 2023. The average survival rate was 38% (57 trees per provenance), while the number of surviving trees per provenance ranged from 37 to 76. The average DBH was 11.2 centimeters, with the DBH of some individual trees exceeding 30 centimeters. The Bu19_19 provenance trial remains a valuable resource for studying the performance of European beech populations and can provide important insights into their resilience and adaptation.