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Advice on Publications Available.Recent moves towards plantation production of eucalypt essential oils in Australia indicate the potential for genetic improvement in this area. This thesis studies natural variation in Eucalyptus polybractea, the principal species of the industry, in order to meet some of the information needs of an improvement programme.
The study was based on a glasshouse trial of eleven open-pollinated families representing both provenances of E. polybractea. A number of oil and growth related characteristics were sampled between a seedling age of four and seven months.
Results indicated that a tree improvement program has the potential for considerable success. Substantial variation for oil production characteristics was found to exist both within and between provenances. Early estimates of heritability for oil concentration and growth suggested that expected gains of a selection program were potentially high. In addition, there was no evidence of a negative correlation for oil concentration and biomass production, so it should be possible to select for both traits.
It was found that selection for oil concentration was likely to achieve greater gains for a given selection intensity, than selection for leaf biomass production. This was due to the high heritability estimates for oil concentration relative to biomass production.
The need for careful sampling procedures is discussed, which take into account both seasonal and within plant variation. Problems of interpreting results of glasshouse studies are also discussed, including factors associated with young age of the material and environmental conditions. A field trial including the same families analysed has been established, and it is hoped that future assessment may confirm results presented here.
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF