Publisher Description

Fast-growing eucalypts help to meet the demand for wood throughout the warmer parts of the world. They are grown in numerous small woods and windbreaks to produce poles and firewood, and in extensive plantations mainly for the pulp and paper industries. This book shows how to breed improved eucalypts that will provide more and better wood on appropriate sites selected through sound land planning. The emphasis is on making greater use of the immense richness of thegenetic resources of the eucalypts, especially in the first generation or two of domestication 'wild' eucalypts for wood production. This book covers those aspects of variation, selection, andreproduction that are unique to eucalypts. Large gains in production and quality can be obtained relatively cheaply by choosing the best geographic seed sources (provenances). Once suitable base populations have been assembled, continued long-term genetic gain can be assured through well-planned recurrent selection and mating.

Author Biography

Ken Eldridge is at CSIRO, Division of Forestry. John Davidson is at Eucalyptus and Forestry Services.

Table of Contents

Introduction1: Eucalypts natural and planted2: Genetic resources of eucalypts3: Matching species and provenances to site4: Testing species and provenances5: Eucalyptus camaldulensis6: Eucalyptus deglupta7: Eucalyptus delegatensis8: Eucalyptus fastigata9: Eucalyptus globulus10: Eucalyptus grandis and E. saligna11: Eucalyptus nitens12: Eucalyptus obliqua13: Eucalyptus regnans14: Eucalyptus tereticornis15: Eucalyptus urophylla16: Eucalyptus viminalis17: Breeding strategies and breeding plans18: Reproductive biology of eucalypts19: Selection and breeding20: Seed production21: Mass vegetative propagation22: Looking aheadGlossaryReferencesIndex

Review

`Eucalypt domestication and breeding, is important and it is doubly so because of the breadth and depth of the experience of its well-known authors who, together with Arne Brune, conceived the idea when the IUFRO Working Party on eucalypts was formed in 1977 ... the authors have come up with a nice balance of chapters ... A great deal of very useful practical advice on breeding and seed production techniques is given ... Overall the book not only contains alarge amount of very useful information and stimulating discussion, it is also a delight to read for the story it tells. Although this book will be an important addition to any forestry library, it is, asthe authors say, directed very much towards the practising tree breeder; he or she and many others will benefit from having a copy for easy reference and to dip into for the many fascinating bits of information that are contained in it.'R.D. Barnes, Commonwealth Forestry Review Volume 73 (2), 1994`The book should be of lasting value, not only to practicing breeders but to anyone wishing to appreciate the perspective of a group of scientists actively involved in the exciting task of bringing a major genus of plants 'in from the wild' for the first time.'A.R.Griffin, Forestry Specialist, Shell Petroleum Company, Partners in Research for Development, Number 7, May 1994`The quality of diagrams and the rich supply of illustrative photographs make reading a pleasure whilst the list of reference is highly impressive ... I'm sure all forestry universities, research stations and overseas consultants will find it invaluable.'Steve J. Lee, Forestry, Vol. 67, No. 4, 1994`The book should be of lasting value, not only to practicing breeders but to anyone wishing to appreciate the perspective of a group of scientists actively involved in the exciting task of bringing a major genus of plants 'in from the wild' for the first time.'A.R. Griffin, Partners in Research for Development, Number 7, May 1994`Essential reading for all foresters concerned with Eucalypts.'Agroforestry News

Long Description

Fast-growing eucalypts help to meet the demand for wood throughout the warmer parts of the world. They are grown in numerous small woods and windbreaks to produce poles and firewood, and in extensive plantations mainly for the pulp and paper industries. This book shows how to breed improved eucalypts that will provide more and better wood on appropriate sites selected through sound land planning. The emphasis is on making greater use of the immense richness of the
genetic resources of the eucalypts, especially in the first generation or two of domestication 'wild' eucalypts for wood production. This book covers those aspects of variation, selection, and
reproduction that are unique to eucalypts. Large gains in production and quality can be obtained relatively cheaply by choosing the best geographic seed sources (provenances). Once suitable base populations have been assembled, continued long-term genetic gain can be assured through well-planned recurrent selection and mating.

Review Text

`Eucalypt domestication and breeding, is important and it is doubly so because of the breadth and depth of the experience of its well-known authors who, together with Arne Brune, conceived the idea when the IUFRO Working Party on eucalypts was formed in 1977 ... the authors have come up with a nice balance of chapters ... A great deal of very useful practical advice on breeding and seed production techniques is given ... Overall the book not only contains a
large amount of very useful information and stimulating discussion, it is also a delight to read for the story it tells. Although this book will be an important addition to any forestry library, it is, as
the authors say, directed very much towards the practising tree breeder; he or she and many others will benefit from having a copy for easy reference and to dip into for the many fascinating bits of information that are contained in it.
'
R.D. Barnes, Commonwealth Forestry Review Volume 73 (2), 1994
`The book should be of lasting value, not only to practicing breeders but to anyone wishing to appreciate the perspective of a group of scientists actively involved in the exciting task of bringing a major genus of plants 'in from the wild' for the first time.'
A.R.Griffin, Forestry Specialist, Shell Petroleum Company, Partners in Research for Development, Number 7, May 1994
`The quality of diagrams and the rich supply of illustrative photographs make reading a pleasure whilst the list of reference is highly impressive ... I'm sure all forestry universities, research stations and overseas consultants will find it invaluable.'
Steve J. Lee, Forestry, Vol. 67, No. 4, 1994
`The book should be of lasting value, not only to practicing breeders but to anyone wishing to appreciate the perspective of a group of scientists actively involved in the exciting task of bringing a major genus of plants 'in from the wild' for the first time.'
A.R. Griffin, Partners in Research for Development, Number 7, May 1994
`Essential reading for all foresters concerned with Eucalypts.'
Agroforestry News

Review Quote

'The quality of diagrams and the rich supply of illustrative photographsmake reading a pleasure whilst the list of reference is highly impressive ...I'm sure all forestry universities, research stations and overseas consultantswill find it invaluable.'Steve J. Lee, Forestry, Vol. 67, No. 4, 1994

Feature

Essential reference to the rapidly expanding industry of eucalypt production
Contains many ideas that also apply to the forestry of other tree species
Written for technical specialists, but also accessible and of interest to non-specialists

Details