Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia ten.) seed characteristics of some seed stands and seed orchards of the same origin in the Aegean and Marmara breeding zone

In this study, the morphological and germination characteristics of seeds obtained from seed stands (TM) and seed orchards (TB) of the same origins located within the Aegean and Marmara Breeding Zones of Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) were comparatively examined. The investigation included the assessment of morphological properties such as 1000-seed weight, moisture content, seed diameter and seed length, as well as physiological parameters including germination percentage (ÇY) and germination rate (ÇH). Both the 2023 experimental data and the ORTOHUM harvest-year records were jointly evaluated. According to the breeding-zone–based findings, 1000-seed weight ranged between 33.0 and 53.5 g, moisture content between 5.54% and 7.82%, seed length between 6.92 and 7.47 mm, and seed diameter between 3.45 and 4.62 mm. Germination parameters varied between 10.5% and 58.0% for germination percentage, and between 2.5% and 13.5% for germination rate. Significant differences were observed between TM and TB sources for both parameters, with seed orchard sources located in the Aegean–Middle zone exhibiting notably higher germination percentage and germination rate. ANOVA results indicated that germination percentage varied significantly among origins, whereas germination rate was influenced by the interaction between origin and seed source. A comparison of ORTOHUM harvest-year data with the 2023 measurements showed that, despite some year-to-year variation, overall performance rankings remained largely consistent. This consistency suggests that seed weight, moisture content, and basic morphological traits are relatively stable genetically, and that ORTOHUM records provide a reliable reference for seed quality assessment. Overall, the results demonstrate that both morphological and physiological characteristics of red pine seeds exhibit substantial variation across breeding zones. Accordingly, seed sources such as TM-34, TM-40, and TB-27, which performed well across multiple parameters, can be considered advantageous materials in terms of seed quality and germination performance. In conclusion, the study highlights that seed morphology, germination capacity, and physiological resilience-alongside adaptive potential-should be jointly considered in selection and seed production programs, as the morphological and physiological properties of red pine seeds are shaped by both genetic structure and zone-specific environmental conditions.