Genetic variation for growth and selection in adult plants of Eucalyptus badjensis

The aim of this study was to evaluate Eucalyptus badjensisconcerning the genetic variation for growth traits and the potential of the speciesin supporting a breeding programme. The field trial was a provenance/progeny testestablished in Campina da Alegria, Santa Catarina, Brazil (latitude 26°52′05.1″ S,longitude 51°48′47.5″ W, altitude 1,015 m) in a soil classified as LatossolicAlumino-Ferric Brown Nitosol. The experiment comprised 60 open-pollinated progeniesfrom the provenances Glenbog and Badja StateForest, New South Wales, Australia. Ten replicates and plots with six plantsin row were used. At the age of 17 years, 279 trees were assessed for diameter of thebole at breast height (DBH), total tree height (H) and volume of wood with bark(Vol). After submitting the data to statistical genetic analysis, the overall meansfor DBH, H and Vol were 45.17 cm, 33.30 m and 2.84 m³, and the estimatesof additive coefficient of variation [CV^a(%)] were 12.59%, 5.91% and 26.51%, respectively. Heritabilitycoefficients of additive effects (h^a2) were also estimated and the following values were found: 0.443,0.312 and 0.358. Thirty-nine trees from 25 different progenies were selected. Theexpected means of the provenances after improvement were 50.02 cm, 34.35 m and 3.47m³ for DBH, H and Vol, respectively.