<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><italic>Eucalyptus camaldulensis</italic> has potential for timber, energy, pulp and cellulose production in Brazil due to its ability to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions. The use of improved seeds, selected for economic growth traits, is necessary to increase productivity of commercial stands. Seed seedlings orchards (SSO) are one option for improved seed production. However, pollen contamination from unimproved populations, as well as non-random mating in the SSO, can decrease the predicted genetic gains in selected populations. Thus, we investigate the mating system, pollen flow and dispersal patterns in an <italic>E. camaldulensis</italic> SSO and progeny test (PT), established with seedlings collected in the SSO, using seven microsatellite loci. All trees in the SSO were mapped, sampled, and genotyped. For the PT, we sampled, genotyped, and measured the total height of seedlings from 25 families. We detected 10 % inbreeding in the PT, resulting mainly from selfing. Furthermore, we found a correlated mating rate of 18.5 % in the SSO, indicating that within the PT there are some full-sibs. Using paternity analysis, we found 14.7 % pollen contamination and a pattern of pollen dispersal between near neighbor trees in the SSO. We found 9.5 % of inbreeding depression for seedlings height. Due to pollen contamination and nonrandom mating in the SSO, the actual genetic gains for growth traits in the PT are probably lower than the predicted genetic gains. We discuss some management strategies in the SSO that can be used to increase genetic gains in commercial reforestation established using seeds collected from the SSO</p></abstract>

Eucalyptus camaldulensis has potential for timber, energy, pulp and cellulose production in Brazil due to its ability to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions. The use of improved seeds, selected for economic growth traits, is necessary to increase productivity of commercial stands. Seed seedlings orchards (SSO) are one option for improved seed production. However, pollen contamination from unimproved populations, as well as non-random mating in the SSO, can decrease the predicted genetic gains in selected populations. Thus, we investigate the mating system, pollen flow and dispersal patterns in an E. camaldulensis SSO and progeny test (PT), established with seedlings collected in the SSO, using seven microsatellite loci. All trees in the SSO were mapped, sampled, and genotyped. For the PT, we sampled, genotyped, and measured the total height of seedlings from 25 families. We detected 10 % inbreeding in the PT, resulting mainly from selfing. Furthermore, we found a correlated mating rate of 18.5 % in the SSO, indicating that within the PT there are some full-sibs. Using paternity analysis, we found 14.7 % pollen contamination and a pattern of pollen dispersal between near neighbor trees in the SSO. We found 9.5 % of inbreeding depression for seedlings height. Due to pollen contamination and nonrandom mating in the SSO, the actual genetic gains for growth traits in the PT are probably lower than the predicted genetic gains. We discuss some management strategies in the SSO that can be used to increase genetic gains in commercial reforestation established using seeds collected from the SSO

Pollen contamination and nonrandom mating in a <italic>Eucalyptus camaldulensis</italic> Dehnh seedling seed orchard

Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética

, CP 1322, CEP 01059-970, São Paulo, SP,

Silvae Genetica

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

Pollen contamination and nonrandom mating in a  Dehnh seedling seed orchard

Eucalyptus camaldulensis has potential for timber, energy, pulp and cellulose production in Brazil due to its ability to adapt to a variety of environmental...

Pollen contamination and nonrandom mating in a Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh seedling seed orchard

Published Online: Jun 12, 2017

Page range: 1 - 11

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2016-0001

Keywords
Eucalyptus, gene flow, mating system, microsatellite loci, tropical trees

© 2016 J. M. S. Gonzaga et al., published by De Gruyter Open

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

Pollen contamination and nonrandom mating in a Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh seedling seed orchard

Published Online: Jun 12, 2017

Page range: 1 - 11

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2016-0001

KeywordsEucalyptus, gene flow, mating system, microsatellite loci, tropical trees

© 2016 J. M. S. Gonzaga et al., published by De Gruyter Open

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

Keywords
Eucalyptus, gene flow, mating system, microsatellite loci, tropical trees