Fifteen cuttings of each donor were taken from a clonal hedging orchard and rooted in Hunan Province in spring of 1991. A total of 552 clones were selected out of 1 000 clones based on rooting percentage, growth rate ...Fifteen cuttings of each donor were taken from a clonal hedging orchard and rooted in Hunan Province in spring of 1991. A total of 552 clones were selected out of 1 000 clones based on rooting percentage, growth rate and resistance to disease and insects in 1992 and was divided into two groups. One group contained 252 clones and was planted in Hubei Province in a randomized complete block design with single tree plot and 5 replications. Seedlings from a local source were used as controls. About 15% of the least desired clones were rogued from the test plantations and the clonal hedging orchard in 1994 and 1997 It was found that: the height, diameter and volume growth of the stecklings were consistently and significantly higher than those of the seedlings over the years; the absolute growth difference between the seedlings and the stecklings increased with age dramatically, however, the gain as a percentage of current size decreased rapidly; there were significant differences among clones and roguing raised the average performance of the steckling population; early late correlation coefficients in growth of the clones were low. The results indicated that clonal selection can be done in combination with timber production and the increase of plantation performance and the development of clonal varieties can be achieved incrementally over time by roguing in the cutting orchard. The method was likely to be more effective for Chinese Fir than traditional clonal breeding method. The high percentage of gain from early selection will be low at rotation age and few clones that have not been well studied should not be used in production practice.展开更多
Figured black walnut lumber is a specialty wood product that commands a high price for manufacturing fine furniture and interior paneling. Two common figured grain patterns occur in walnut;they are known as “fiddle-b...Figured black walnut lumber is a specialty wood product that commands a high price for manufacturing fine furniture and interior paneling. Two common figured grain patterns occur in walnut;they are known as “fiddle-back” or “curly” grain, depending on the number of horizontal lines visible in the grain of the finished wood. The occurrence of figured walnut in nature is rare and unpredictable. Trees that have consistent figured patterns throughout the log are of exceptional value. Conversely, trees with partial or spotty figured patterns are considered defective and are reduced in value. Conventional breeding of seedlings, or cloning figured trees by grafting, are possible methods to propagate figured wood in walnut. The value of such material, however, will depend on figure being expressed predictably. For breeding to succeed, the trait of interest must be genetic and heritable. For clonal propagation to be effective, the trait must be reproduced true-to-type. In this study, we evaluate the grain pattern of both grafted and seedling walnut from several highly figured wild selections. Logs from grafted trees of three clones propagated in the 1970s in Kansas were evaluated. Only one log from one clone showed some figure in its lumber. Ten-year-old seedlings from the figured walnut clone “Lamb” were grown and cut in Indiana and evaluated for figured grain, and none showed any sign of figured grain developing. Our conclusion is that figured grain in black walnut does not propagate true-to-type through grafting or by growing open-pollinated seed. Although evidence of some genetic control of figure was found, environmental and other factors appear to play a greater role.展开更多
The global efforts to restore tropical forests and their productive and ecological functions through plantation forestry largely depend on the available genetic variation in the tree species used to establish the plan...The global efforts to restore tropical forests and their productive and ecological functions through plantation forestry largely depend on the available genetic variation in the tree species used to establish the plantations. However, there is limited information on the levels and trends of the genetic variation and variability of different plantation tree species in the tropics. Therefore, this study reviews several marker-based studies that have investigated genetic variation. Most of the top economic species like Eucalyptus tereticornis and Mansonia altissima are attributed to low levels of genetic diversity, while others like Pinus caribaea and Swietenia macrophylla still exhibit high expected heterozygosity across different populations. However, the levels of genetic diversity assessed may depend on the markers used. Microsatellites, i.e., simple sequence repeats (SSRs), mostly give higher estimates when compared to other polymerase chain reaction-based markers. Other factors that typically contribute to the directional pattern of genetic variation in tropical tree species and populations include their distribution, density, seed dispersal, succession, and reproduction. Also, anthropogenic impacts like logging and fragmentation have contributed to the vast genetic base reduction of many tropical species and populations. Having adequate genetic variation within the plantation populations is significant in improving their fitness, resilience, fecundity, productivity, and other ecological functions. It also provides a basis for tree improvement and breeding in plantation forests. Although clonal forestry is becoming widespread and considered highly productive, it is attributed to specific economic, technical, and ecological risks, such as the increased spread of pests and diseases. Therefore, further discussions and recommendations to maximise genetic diversity in tropical (clonal) plantations are provided.展开更多
文摘Fifteen cuttings of each donor were taken from a clonal hedging orchard and rooted in Hunan Province in spring of 1991. A total of 552 clones were selected out of 1 000 clones based on rooting percentage, growth rate and resistance to disease and insects in 1992 and was divided into two groups. One group contained 252 clones and was planted in Hubei Province in a randomized complete block design with single tree plot and 5 replications. Seedlings from a local source were used as controls. About 15% of the least desired clones were rogued from the test plantations and the clonal hedging orchard in 1994 and 1997 It was found that: the height, diameter and volume growth of the stecklings were consistently and significantly higher than those of the seedlings over the years; the absolute growth difference between the seedlings and the stecklings increased with age dramatically, however, the gain as a percentage of current size decreased rapidly; there were significant differences among clones and roguing raised the average performance of the steckling population; early late correlation coefficients in growth of the clones were low. The results indicated that clonal selection can be done in combination with timber production and the increase of plantation performance and the development of clonal varieties can be achieved incrementally over time by roguing in the cutting orchard. The method was likely to be more effective for Chinese Fir than traditional clonal breeding method. The high percentage of gain from early selection will be low at rotation age and few clones that have not been well studied should not be used in production practice.
文摘Figured black walnut lumber is a specialty wood product that commands a high price for manufacturing fine furniture and interior paneling. Two common figured grain patterns occur in walnut;they are known as “fiddle-back” or “curly” grain, depending on the number of horizontal lines visible in the grain of the finished wood. The occurrence of figured walnut in nature is rare and unpredictable. Trees that have consistent figured patterns throughout the log are of exceptional value. Conversely, trees with partial or spotty figured patterns are considered defective and are reduced in value. Conventional breeding of seedlings, or cloning figured trees by grafting, are possible methods to propagate figured wood in walnut. The value of such material, however, will depend on figure being expressed predictably. For breeding to succeed, the trait of interest must be genetic and heritable. For clonal propagation to be effective, the trait must be reproduced true-to-type. In this study, we evaluate the grain pattern of both grafted and seedling walnut from several highly figured wild selections. Logs from grafted trees of three clones propagated in the 1970s in Kansas were evaluated. Only one log from one clone showed some figure in its lumber. Ten-year-old seedlings from the figured walnut clone “Lamb” were grown and cut in Indiana and evaluated for figured grain, and none showed any sign of figured grain developing. Our conclusion is that figured grain in black walnut does not propagate true-to-type through grafting or by growing open-pollinated seed. Although evidence of some genetic control of figure was found, environmental and other factors appear to play a greater role.
文摘The global efforts to restore tropical forests and their productive and ecological functions through plantation forestry largely depend on the available genetic variation in the tree species used to establish the plantations. However, there is limited information on the levels and trends of the genetic variation and variability of different plantation tree species in the tropics. Therefore, this study reviews several marker-based studies that have investigated genetic variation. Most of the top economic species like Eucalyptus tereticornis and Mansonia altissima are attributed to low levels of genetic diversity, while others like Pinus caribaea and Swietenia macrophylla still exhibit high expected heterozygosity across different populations. However, the levels of genetic diversity assessed may depend on the markers used. Microsatellites, i.e., simple sequence repeats (SSRs), mostly give higher estimates when compared to other polymerase chain reaction-based markers. Other factors that typically contribute to the directional pattern of genetic variation in tropical tree species and populations include their distribution, density, seed dispersal, succession, and reproduction. Also, anthropogenic impacts like logging and fragmentation have contributed to the vast genetic base reduction of many tropical species and populations. Having adequate genetic variation within the plantation populations is significant in improving their fitness, resilience, fecundity, productivity, and other ecological functions. It also provides a basis for tree improvement and breeding in plantation forests. Although clonal forestry is becoming widespread and considered highly productive, it is attributed to specific economic, technical, and ecological risks, such as the increased spread of pests and diseases. Therefore, further discussions and recommendations to maximise genetic diversity in tropical (clonal) plantations are provided.
