elite tree

... In the elite tree selection and breeding project, elite trees are selected for various timber production purposes, mainly based on diameter (breast height diameter), large timber volume (volume of the usable part of the trunk), narrow crown spread, etc. The term "elite tree" is a translation of the German word "Elitebaum" (elite tree), and in Europe and the United States, superior trees (plus trees) selected based on phenotypes are only called elite trees once it has been confirmed that they are also superior genetically, but the elite trees in Japan are equivalent to the plus trees in Europe and the United States. These are individuals (clones) propagated by cuttings or grafting from selected elite trees, and those that are easy to propagate by cuttings are used to create scion orchards, while those that are difficult to propagate by cuttings are used to create seed orchards. ...

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "elite tree" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…　精英樹選抜育種事業では，各種の用材生産を目的として，おもに太さ(胸高直径)，材積(幹の使える部分の体積)が大きいこと，樹冠の広がりが狭いことなどを目安にして精英樹を選ぶ。精英樹はドイツ語Elitebaum(英名elite tree)からの訳語で，欧米では，表現型によって選ばれた優れたもの(プラス木)が遺伝子型でも優れていることが確かめられて初めて精英樹と呼ぶことになっているが，日本でいう精英樹は欧米でいうプラス木にあたる。これは選抜された精英樹から挿木か接木でふやした個体(クローン)で，挿木で増殖しやすいものは採穂園を，挿木の難しいものは採種園をつくる。…

※「elite tree」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報