<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The sub-tropical species, <italic>Eucalyptus longirostrata</italic> (formerly <italic>E. punctata</italic> var <italic>longirostrata</italic>) and <italic>Corymbia henryi</italic> were investigated as alternative species for growth on the Zululand coastal plain in South Africa. Provenance/progeny trials were established in 2001 at two sites, namely, Nyalazi and Kwambonambi. The seed material purchased from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia in 2000 included six provenances of <italic>E. longirostrata</italic> and five provenances of <italic>C. henry</italic>i. Six-year diameter at breast height measurements were completed in 2007. Individual narrow-sense heritability coefficients for diameter growth varied from 0.30 to 0.58 for both species, with heritabilities being higher at the drier Nyalazi site. Heritabilities and breeding values were calculated prior to making selections in field. A total of 143 selections were made in the <italic>E. longirostrata</italic> trials, and 113 in the <italic>C. henryi</italic> trials during 2008. Predicted gains for the next generation range from 2.8 cm (20%) to 6.1 cm (61%) increase in diameter for <italic>E. longirostrata</italic>, and 3.4 cm (23%) to 5.4 cm (49%) increase for <italic>C. henryi</italic>, depending on site and selection scenario. Provenance differences were evident in <italic>E. longirostrata</italic> at both sites; however, there were no significant differences between the <italic>C. henryi</italic> provenances of Australian origin. The top families of both species performed better than the hybrid controls at the Nyalazi site, indicating that both <italic>E. longirostrata</italic> and <italic>C. henryi</italic> are viable alternative species for successful growth on the drier sites of the Zululand coastal plain.</p></abstract>

The sub-tropical species, Eucalyptus longirostrata (formerly E. punctata var longirostrata) and Corymbia henryi were investigated as alternative species for growth on the Zululand coastal plain in South Africa. Provenance/progeny trials were established in 2001 at two sites, namely, Nyalazi and Kwambonambi. The seed material purchased from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia in 2000 included six provenances of E. longirostrata and five provenances of C. henryi. Six-year diameter at breast height measurements were completed in 2007. Individual narrow-sense heritability coefficients for diameter growth varied from 0.30 to 0.58 for both species, with heritabilities being higher at the drier Nyalazi site. Heritabilities and breeding values were calculated prior to making selections in field. A total of 143 selections were made in the E. longirostrata trials, and 113 in the C. henryi trials during 2008. Predicted gains for the next generation range from 2.8 cm (20%) to 6.1 cm (61%) increase in diameter for E. longirostrata, and 3.4 cm (23%) to 5.4 cm (49%) increase for C. henryi, depending on site and selection scenario. Provenance differences were evident in E. longirostrata at both sites; however, there were no significant differences between the C. henryi provenances of Australian origin. The top families of both species performed better than the hybrid controls at the Nyalazi site, indicating that both E. longirostrata and C. henryi are viable alternative species for successful growth on the drier sites of the Zululand coastal plain.

Genetic parameter estimates and parental selection in <italic>Eucalyptus longirostrata</italic> and <italic>Corymbia henryi</italic> populations tested in South Africa

Institute for Commercial Forestry Research

Sappi Forests Research, Shaw Research Centre

Silvae Genetica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Genetic parameter estimates and parental selection in  and  populations tested in South Africa

The sub-tropical species, Eucalyptus longirostrata (formerly E. punctata var longirostrata) and Corymbia henryi were investigated as alternative species for...

Genetic parameter estimates and parental selection in Eucalyptus longirostrata and Corymbia henryi populations tested in South Africa

Published Online: Aug 05, 2017

Page range: 105 - 113

Received: Feb 15, 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2011-0015

Keywords
tree breeding, genetic parameters, heritability, genetic gains, BLUP, selection

© 2011 Tammy-L. Swain et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Genetic parameter estimates and parental selection in Eucalyptus longirostrata and Corymbia henryi populations tested in South Africa

Published Online: Aug 05, 2017

Page range: 105 - 113

Received: Feb 15, 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2011-0015

Keywordstree breeding, genetic parameters, heritability, genetic gains, BLUP, selection

© 2011 Tammy-L. Swain et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
tree breeding, genetic parameters, heritability, genetic gains, BLUP, selection