Đề tài Strengthening Capacity in Forest Tree Seed Technologies Serving Research and Development Activities and ex-Situ Conservation 2

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development Strengthening Capacity in Forest Tree Seed Technologies Serving Research and Development Activities and ex-situ Conservation (No. 058/04VIE) GENETIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR EUCALYPTS IN VIETNAM by Khongsak Pinyopusarerk1, Le Dinh Kha2 and Chris Harwood 1 Ensis Genetics, PO Box E4008, Kingston, ACT 2604, Australia 2 Research Centre for Forest Tree Improvement, Forest Science Institute of Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam 3 Ensis Tasmania, Private Bag 12, Hobart TAS 7001, Australia December 2006 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS GENETIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR ............................................................................... 1 EUCALYPTS IN VIETNAM ................................................................................................... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY....................................................................................................... 4 1 Introduction and Background ............................................................................................ 6 1.1 Species-Provenance Trial in the Lowlands of Central Vietnam ............................... 6 1.2 Species-Provenance Trials in the Southern Highlands.............................................. 8 1.3 Current Eucalypt Species in Reforestation Programs ............................................... 8 2 Genetic Improvement of Eucalyptus species in Vietnam.................................................. 9 2.1 Candidate Plus Tree Selection and Clonal Testing ................................................... 9 2.2 Development of Eucalypt Hybrids ............................................................................ 9 2.3 Open Pollinated Progeny Trials Developed into Seedling Seed Orchards.............. 10 2.4 The Need for a Genetic Improvement Strategy and Plan........................................ 10 3 Basic Elements of Planning Tree Improvement.............................................................. 11 3.1 Need for a Well Defined Strategy and Plan ............................................................ 11 3.2 Clear Objectives ...................................................................................................... 11 3.4 Selection and Mating............................................................................................... 12 3.5 Personnel and Funding ............................................................................................ 13 3.6 Hybrid breeding....................................................................................................... 13 4. Determinants of a Breeding Strategy .............................................................................. 15 4.1 Breeding Objective.................................................................................................. 15 4.2 Economic Weights................................................................................................... 15 4.3 Deployment Objective............................................................................................. 15 4.4 Selection Criteria and Traits for Selection .............................................................. 16 4.5 Genetic Resources ................................................................................................... 16 5 Breeding Strategy ............................................................................................................ 20 5.1 Outline of Breeding Strategy................................................................................... 20 5.2 Expected Genetic Gains .......................................................................................... 21 5.3 Breeding Population ................................................................................................ 22 5.3.1 Structure of the Main Population .................................................................... 22 5.3.2 Structure of the Elite Population ..................................................................... 22 6 Outlines of Improvement Plan ........................................................................................ 23 6.1 Eucalyptus urophylla............................................................................................... 23 6.1.1 Main breeding population and seedling seed orchard ..................................... 23 6.1.2 Elite population and clone bank/clonal seed orchard ...................................... 23 6.1.3 Selection of candidate trees for the second generation ................................... 28 6.1.4 Conversion of trials to seed orchards .............................................................. 29 6.2 Eucalyptus pellita .................................................................................................... 29 6.2.1 Main breeding population and seedling seed orchard (optional) .................... 30 6.2.2 Elite population and clone bank/clonal seed orchard ...................................... 30 6.2.3 Selection of candidate trees for the second generation ................................... 32 6.2.4 Conversion of trials to seed orchards ..................................................................... 33 6.3.1 Main breeding population and seedling seed orchard ..................................... 34 6.3.2 Elite population and clone bank/clonal seed orchard (optional) ..................... 34 6.3.3 Selection of candidate trees for the second generation................................... 36 6.2.4 Conversion of trials to seed orchard....................................................................... 36 6.4 Eucalyptus grandis .................................................................................................. 37 6.4.1 Main breeding population and seedling seed orchard ..................................... 37 6.4.2 Elite population and clone bank/clonal seed orchard (optional) ..................... 37 6.4.3 Selection of candidate trees for the second generation ................................... 39 2 6.4.4 Conversion of trials to seed orchard....................................................................... 39 6.5 Eucalyptus camaldulensis ....................................................................................... 40 6.5.1 Main breeding population and seedling seed orchard ..................................... 40 6.5.2 Cloning of the progeny trial ............................................................................ 40 6.5.3 Establishment of clonal trials .......................................................................... 41 6.5.4 Conversion to clonal seed orchard .................................................................. 41 7 Program Review .............................................................................................................. 42 References ............................................................................................................................... 43 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Government of Vietnam (GoV) has embarked on a massive tree plantation program. By 2010 it plans to establish an additional 5 million hectares of plantations on bare hills and degraded forest lands, over and above the current plantation estate of one million ha, plus the equivalent of more than 50,000 hectares of community forests in scattered plantings. This dramatic expansion requires equally dramatic increases in the amounts of genetically- superior seed suitable for the different ecological zones in Vietnam. The GoV is committed to improving the amounts and qualities of tree seed produced from its own seed orchards, which is a more sustainable strategy than depending on imported seed. Exotic species such as acacias and eucalypts are important species included in the planting programs. In order to enhance the productivity of the plantations in Vietnam, genetic improvement programs have been carried out for many tree species mainly by the Research Centre for Forest Tree Improvement of the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam. However, these works have been conducted without a written plan that follows a clearly defined genetic improvement strategy. As part of AusAID-supported CARD project (No. 058/04VIE) “Strengthening Capacity in Forest Tree Seed Technologies Serving Research and Development Activities and ex-situ Conservation” a genetic improvement plan has been developed focusing on priority Eucalyptus species. A separate CARD project (No. 032/05VIE) “Sustainable and profitable development of acacia plantations for sawlog production in Vietnam” will soon develop a genetic improvement plan for acacias. It should also be stressed that the approaches discussed in this breeding strategy are applicable for most tree species. Breeding populations of five Eucalyptus species (E. camaldulensis, E. grandis, E. pellita, E. tereticornis and E. urophylla) already set up by the Research Centre for Forest Tree Improvement provide the basis for genetic improvement framework being addressed by this improvement plan. However, greater effort and input are put into E. urophylla as the highest priority Eucalyptus species for pure and interspecific hybrid breeding. Other species have been managed less extensively with an aim to use them as pollen sources for interspecific hybridisation. The proposed breeding strategy is based on a structured breeding population that is divided into two levels based on genetic quality. That is the breeding population is subdivided into two parts, a ‘Main (large) Population’ and an ‘Elite (small) Population’. The populations have several distinct functions in the breeding program, and a large part of the breeding strategy in each generation deals with the plan that specifies the selection, breeding and management of these two components of the breeding populations. As interspecific hybridisation is receiving increasing interest, the ‘Elite Population’ is the source of genetic material used for interspecific hybrid crossing, in addition to it being one of the sources of pure-species clones for operation deployment. Therefore, the strategy places maximum emphasis on this population to ensure maximum genetic progress. The ‘Main Population’ provides for gene conservation and long-term, sustained genetic progress, by providing new selection to the ‘Elite Population’ each generation. For the ‘Main Population’ there is only a single type of genetic test (open-pollinated progeny test) for each generation. The families and individual trees within families are ranked using the test data, and selection are made to move up to enrich the gene pool of the ‘Elite 4 Population’ and to regenerate the next generation’s Main Population. The overall strategy in the Main Population can be defined as recurrent selection for general combining ability. A greater emphasis is placed on the breeding, testing and selection of the Elite Population each generation, because the clones derived from the Elite Population serve as the clones for use in operational plantations and for intra- and interspecific hybridisation. Controlled crosses are made between selections of the same species and of other species. Vegetative propagation of the progeny and clonal testing is used for forward selection of the best clones for operational use. The very top ranking clones only are used for interspecific hybridisation. A time plan for operation is provided for each species. It should be treated as a general guide only. A more detailed work program providing month-by-month activity schedules should be prepared by the Research Centre for Forest Tree Improvement taking into consideration both administrative possibilities and technical limitations. It is common for every genetic improvement plan to be reviewed and may be revised after some period of operation. This genetic improvement plan is no exception and should be subject to an independent review after 2 years into the program. 5 1 Introduction and Background Eucalypts are one of the most important groups of plantation species for the supply of industrial raw materials in Vietnam. Their wood is used for pulp and paper, particleboard, construction and furniture. There are substantial block plantations of eucalypts in many parts of Vietnam. They are widely planted along canal banks in the Mekong Delta, and along dams, rice paddy boundaries and roadsides and as wind breaks in the Red River Delta. They are also widely planted in many places throughout the country as scattered trees. Moreover, eucalypts provide much of the fuel wood for most of rural areas of Vietnam. Together with acacias, eucalypts have significantly contributed to the improvement of income and living standards of rural people in lowland areas, particularly in central and central-northern Vietnam. The area of eucalypt plantations Vietnam at the end of 2001 was estimated as 348 000 ha (Le Dinh Kha et al. 2003a). The current planted area is believed to be around 500,000 ha. This figure does not include millions of row plantings and scattered trees equivalent to 50,000 ha in routine plantation form. Eucalypts have been introduced into Vietnam since 1930. Eucalyptus camaldulensis and E. robusta were the first Eucalyptus species introduced into Vietnam in 1930 by the French. More species were introduced during 1950-1958 in Da Lat (central highlands), and among these E. microcorys was found to be very promising. In 1960 E. exserta was introduced and became an important species for re-greening bare land and denuded hills. Up to 50,000 ha of E. exserta plantations were planted during the 1960s. However, the popularity of E. exserta has since declined because of its slower growth rate than other species. It was not until the 1980s that systematic species and provenance trials were established at different ecological zones of Vietnam. However, lack of comprehensive representations of provenances in some species in those early trials led to premature conclusions. An example was the case of the Petford provenance of Eucalyptus camaldulensis which was identified as an outstanding seed source in the early 1990s (FSIV 1990, Hoang Chuong 1992). Results of later species-provenance trials revealed that growth of Petford provenance was only mid- ranked and it was very susceptible to die back diseases in the south-eastern part of Vietnam and Thua Thien Hue (Sharma 1994, Pham Quang Thu 1999). The most promising provenances of E. camaldulensis in Vietnam are Laura River, Kennedy River and Morehead River (northern Queensland) and Katherine (Northern Territory) (Le Dinh Kha and Doan Thi Bich 1991) while the best provenance of E. tereticornis tested during the 1990s was Sirinumu Sogeri (Papua New Guinea) (Hoang Chuong 1996). 1.1 Species-Provenance Trial in the Lowlands of Central Vietnam Provenance seedlots of six species were planted at Dong Ha, Quang Tri province in 1991 (Table 1). Eight-year growth data show that many provenances of E. cloeziana (e.g. Queensland provenances of Herberton, Helenvale, Woondum and Cardwell), E. pellita (Queensland provenances of Kuranda and Helenvale) and E. urophylla (Indonesian provenance of Lembata) performed well above overall trial mean. In general, E. camaldulensis, E. grandis and E. tereticornis were slower in growth rate than the other three species with most provenances ranking below the overall trial mean. However, it should be noted that some of the best performing provenances of E. camaldulensis (i.e. Laura River, Kennedy River and Morehead River) were not included in this trial and E. grandis was not suitable for low land areas (Le Dinh Kha et al. 2003b). 6 Table 1. Growth of eucalypt species and provenances tested at Dong Ha (Quang Tri province) (1/1991-7/1999). Seedlot Species/provenance DBH (cm) H (m) x v (%) x v (%) 23645 E. urophylla Mt Lembata, Indonesia 11.4 19.3 13.2 15.9 23081 Mt Egon Ind. 9.3 21.8 10.7 9.1 23042 Mt Lewotobi Ind. 9.0 23.2 10.5 18.3 Mean 9.9 21.4 11.5 14.4 14236 E. cloeziana Herberton Qld 10.5 20.1 12.7 17.9 12602 Helenvale Qld 10.3 15.2 11.6 13.3 17008 Woondum Qld 10.3 23.2 11.6 14.3 14422 Cardwell Qld 10.3 20.5 11.3 20.4 12205 Maitland Qld 10.1 17.7 11.0 15.2 12202 Paluma Qld 10.0 17.2 11.0 11.6 13543 Monto Qld 9.6 21.9 10.9 15.3 12207 Bakerville Qld 9.6 20.6 10.8 10.6 14427 Blackdown Qld 9.5 17.7 10.7 9.0 Mean 10.0 19.3 11.3 14.2 15255 E. pellita Kuranda Qld 10.2 18.6 11.3 12.6 14211 Helenvale Qld 10.2 16.8 11.1 14.9 16122 Kiriwo PNG 10.1 20.6 11.0 17.4 13998 Coen Qld 9.7 17.6 10.9 12.6 16120 Keru PNG 8.9 25.2 10.2 17.0 13826 Bloomfield Qld 8.4 22.1 9.8 17.2 Mean 10.1 18.6 11.1 14.3 13661 E. tereticornis Mt Molloy Qld 8.9 20.1 10.2 17.6 13660 Helenvale Qld 8.8 21.4 10.2 18.6 13666 Mt Garnet Qld 8.4 19.7 10.0 17.7 Mean 8.7 20.4 10.1 18.0 13289 E. grandis Mt Lewis Qld 8.8 18.5 10.1 9.7 16583 Atherton Qld 8.0 22.7 9.1 16.8 16723 Paluma Qld 7.9 23.1 8.8 25.6 14838 Cardwell Qld 7.5 23.5 8.7 21.2 Mean 8.1 21.9 9.2 18.3 16720 E. camaldulensis Petford Qld 8.2 21.9 9.5 17.0 13695 Normanton Qld 8.0 22.9 9.1 17.5 Nghia Binh VN 7.8 27.2 8.7 16.5 15049 Bullock Creek Qld 7.2 22.2 8.6 18.3 16553 Wrotham Qld 6.4 26.1 7.6 15.9 12968 Buderkin River Qld 6.2 21.8 7.4 20.2 15325 Camooweal Qld 6.1 23.1 7.4 17.0 15323 Julia Creek Qld 5.9 18.2 7.2 15.9 13817 Leichhardt R Qld 5.5 22.3 6.6 16.8 Mean 6.8 22.9 8.0 17.2 Fpr <.001 Fpr <.001 S.e.d = 0.933 S.e.d = 1.153 7 1.2 Species-Provenance Trials in the Southern Highlands Twenty four provenances of 9 Eucalyptus species were tested in Da Lat at Lang Hanh (altitude 900 m) and Mang Linh (altitude 1500 m) in 1992. Available growth data at 18 months of age at Mang Linh shows that the fastest growing provenance was E. urophylla, Mt Egon, Flores, Indonesia. It was followed by E. grandis Lam Dong land race and Paluma, Qld, and E. saligna Blackdown and Barrington, Qld. E. camaldulensis from GibbRiver, Katherine and Morehead River also grew well. Slower growing provenances were E. brassiana Jackey Jackey, Qld; E. camaldulensis Emu Creek Petford, Qld; E. tereticornis Mt Garnet, Qld; E. grandis Mt Lewis and Tinaroo, Qld. All E. pellita provenances grew slower than overall trial mean. The high altitude of 1500 m appeared to be too high for many Eucalyptus species such as E. brassiana, E. camaldulensis, E. pellita and E. tereticornis. No further detailed information from these 1992 trials was available except a brief reference in Le Dinh Kha et al (2003a) that some 11-year-old trees of Da Lat land races of E. saligna and E. microcorys were growing well at Lang Hanh, mean height 25.1 and 22.5 m respectively. Based on the results of past species and provenance trials, many species are considered promising for planting in different regions of Vietnam: Lowlands, central to southern provinces: E. brassiana, E. camaldulensis, E. cloeziana, E. exserta, E. pellita, E. tereticornis, E. urophylla Lowlands, northern provinces: E. exserta, E. pellita, E. urophylla (on deeper soils (canal banks, roadsides etc) E. camaldulensis is an excellent performer and widely planted in the north, although it is no good on the shallow hillside soils. I don’t know that there is much evidence that E. pellita is good in the north (it may be). You probably need a paragraph describing the different types of planting sites available – small planting areas on flat land with deep soil, and much larger areas (bare hill type site) of sloping land with generally rocky