Wood production and economic gains from the use of seed orchard stock in radiata pine plantations in New South Wales [Pinus radiata]

Johnson, I.G.; Robinson, G.; O'Hara, A.J.

Wood production and economic gains from the use of seed orchard stock in radiata pine plantations in New South Wales [Pinus radiata]

1992

Johnson, I.G. (New South Wales Forestry Commission, Beecroft (Australia)) | Robinson, G. (New South Wales Water Resources, Parramatta (Australia)) | O'Hara, A.J. (New South Wales Agriculture, Pennant Hills (Australia))

At 2 test sites, first-generation Green Hills Seed Orchard (GHSO) stock achieved gains over the routines (genetically unimproved seedlots) for mean basal area (BA) of 7 percent and 15 percent at age 12 years, increasing to 14 percent and 20 percent, respectively, at age 15 years. Gains over the routines for mean volume at 15 years were 15 percent and 40 percent, respectively. The greater BA increment of the GHSO stock placed it between two and three site classes above the routine seedlots at both test sites. Discounted cash flow analyses were carried out, incorporating royalties from projected volume yields from the different seedlots, and full plantation establishment and marketing costs over a rotation on two different planting site types. Almost all Net Present Values (NPVs) were positive, with substantial gains per hectare, of the order of 1300 dollars, estimated from the use of stock with growth rates equivalent to the GHSO stock rather than stock equivalent to the mean of the routines. The results indicate that production and use of seed orchard stock equivalent to the GHSO stock, rather than routine stock, would significantly improve the return on investment in plantation projects.

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