VARIABILITY OF SOME MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF SILVER FIR (Abies alba Mill.) IN A NATIONAL TEST OF PROVENIENCES

UDK 582.475:581.4(497.6 Olovo) The research has been carried out in a formal experiment with silver fir near Očevje-Olovo, with nine provenances originating from natural BiH population of 22 years of age. The research observed following provenances: communities from the area of Bugojno, Bosanski Petrovac, Olovo-Palež, Olovo-Klis, Pale, Konjic, Fojnica, Sokolac, and Prozor. The analysis of diameter on the root collar found that there are statistically significant differences among the provenances. It was also found that the biggest diameter on the root collar was on the provenances of Fojnica, with 75.6 mm, whereas the smallest was on the provenances of Olovo-Klis, with 65.2 mm. In terms of breast height diameter, some statistically significant differences were also found, so that the biggest diameter was on the provenance of Fojnica, with 47.0 mm, whereas the smallest value of this feature was on the provenance of Pale, with 41.6 mm. The analysis of the height of different provenances for the testing period, 1999 – 2005 (7 years), suggested statistically significant differences among the provenances. The biggest value was on the provenance of Bosanski Petrovac, with 407 cm, whereas the smallest height was on the provenance of Olovo-Klis, with 364 cm. The results obtained during this research provide valuable information, which can be used as indicators for successful differentiation of silver fir.