Abstract

Sophisticated or futuristic tree improvement, which requires large resources, stable funding, competent and permanent technical staff and well-developed infrastructure, is well represented in the qualified literature, in scientific research, in available expertise and in formal training programmes. In contrast, methods particularly suitable for breeding in resource poor situations may be neglected or used inefficiently, as little thought is given to adequately develop, implement and optimise these methods. The use of low-input, simple, robust and cheap methods may actually be justified also in comparatively resource rich environments, but suppressed because they do not seem sophisticated and advanced enough. A number of low-input techniques for seed production and long-term breeding are discussed. In particular: phenotypic selection, absence of testing, unidentified plants, no grafting, and forwarding the breeding population by wind pollination instead of controlled crosses. Sustainable and optimally used low-input strategies require advanced quantitative genetic considerations, in particular concerning the management of relatedness. Vegetative propagation may be a valuable tool both in poor and rich situations

Published in

Title: Eucalyptus plantations: research, management and development. Proceedings of the international symposium, Guangzhou, China, 1-6 September 2002
ISBN: 981-238-557-6
Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd

Conference

Eucalyptus plantations: research, management and development. Proceedings of the international symposium, Guangzhou, China, 1-6 September 2002

SLU Authors

• Lindgren, Dag

  • Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/2850