Variability and plus tree selection in Swietenia macrophylla from Kerala, South India
2021
Moor, Aleena Thomas | Santhoshkumar, A.V. | Hrideek, T.K. | Anoop, E.V. | Elizabeth, Manju
Big leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla, King) is a valuable Neotropic timber species. It is the frst extensively traded timber species to be listed in Appendix II of the CITES in 2002. The tree was introduced to India in 1795 and Kerala in 1872. The present study aimed at selecting plus trees of Swietenia macrophylla and evaluating their genetic variability. Forty-fve plus trees were selected from 593 candidate trees spread over ffteen locations in Kerala based on baseline regression of trunk volume to crown volume, followed by scoring for qualitative characters. The clean bole height, GBH, crown width, crown volume and wood density of CPTs ranged from 6 to 13.4 m, 0.75 to 2.00 m, 8 to 15 m, 7 to 16 m and 21 to 23 mm, respectively. The plus trees were grouped into fve clusters based on their quantitative and qualitative characters. Clustering was independent of the geographical location indicating a lack of development of any land races in the species.
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