Genetic parameters and potential gains from breeding for biomass and cineole production in three-year-old Eucalyptus polybractea progeny trials
2021
Mazanec, R. A. | Grayling, P. M. | Doran, J. | Spencer, B. | Turnbull, P.
Eucalyptus polybractea is a mallee eucalypt with potential use as a perennial biomass crop for dryland agriculture in southern Australia, in addition to its established success as a source of eucalyptus oil. Sixty-six indigenous, open-pollinated families from West Wyalong and surrounds in New South Wales were tested in trials at Newdegate, Western Australia; Drummartin, Victoria; and Condobolin, New South Wales. Growth was fastest at Condobolin, followed by Drummartin then Newdegate. The estimated cross-site genetic correlation was rg = 0.85 ± 0.16 between Newdegate and Condobolin, rg = 1.08 ± 0.35 between Newdegate and Drummartin, and rg = 1.03 ± 0.32 between Condobolin and Drummartin. Estimated gains suggest that genotype × environment interaction was not practically significant. Narrow-sense heritability for biomass production was ĥ² = 0.18 ± 0.07 at Newdegate, ĥ² = 0.05 ± 0.04 at Drummartin and ĥ² = 0.32 ± 0.08 at Condobolin. Heritability of leaf cineole concentration at Newdegate was ĥ² = 0.38 ± 0.09. The genetic correlation between leaf cineole concentration and biomass production was rg = 0.07 ± 0.19 and the phenotypic correlation was rₚ = −0.12 ± 0.03. Compared to selection on either tree biomass or leaf cineole concentration, index selection incorporating both whole tree biomass and leaf cineole concentration is most effective when looking to maximise both cineole yield and biomass production.
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