Abstract: The comparative afforestation experiments were carried out in different locations of Pinus massoniana Ⅲ production area in Guangxi with the tissue cultured seedlings of 4 families, and the growth indexes such as height and DBH of the four-year-old stand were studied and analyzed. The results showed that the differences in site conditions at different locations had different degrees of influence on the growth traits of tissue cultured seedlings of Pinus massoniana families. The average DBH and height of tissue cultured seedling of 4 Pinus massoniana families at different afforestation sites were 4.8 cm and 3.74 m, respectively, which were not significantly different from those of Pinus elliottii seedlings. The average DBH and average height of families B and C with prominent growth performance were 4.8 cm, 6.4 cm and 3.91 m, 4.39 m, respectively, which were 26.3%, 68.4% and 7.4%, 20.6% higher than those of Pinus elliottii（CK）. The DBH and height of family C reached the fast-growing and high-yield standard of Pinus massoniana Ⅱ production area in Gangxi. Under such site conditions, the early growth effect of Pinus massoniana tissue cultured seedlings is not less than that of Pinus elliottii seedlings. The research results have important reference value for promoting the structural adjustment of regional afforestation tree species and ensuring the accurate improvement of plantation quality and benefit.

Key words: Pinus massoniana, tissue cultured seedlings, afforestation, early growth