Comparison between field performance of cuttings and seedlings of Eucalyptus globulus

Abstract

The use of vegetative propagules of Eucalyptus globulus has been an important tool for the large scale deployment of improved plants. However, given the reported morphological differences in root systems between cuttings and seedlings, the question of whether such differences affect growth and wood quality needs to be addressed. The present study compares growth (diameter and height) and wood density (pilodyn penetration) of vegetatively propagated cuttings and seedlings from the same or related pedigrees. The relevance of age, site and the interaction between propagation method and genetic improvement were also investigated. Trials included full-sib families, in which each family was tested as cuttings and seedlings, and progeny trials where parents were cloned and offspring derived from open pollinated crosses. The results show that there were no significant differences between the two types of plant material (cuttings versus seedlings) for the traits examined in the study. © INRA, EDP Sciences, 2005.