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Provenance and progeny performances and genotype × environment interactions of Eucalyptus robusta grown in Madagascar

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Abstract

In Madagascar, plantations of Eucalyptus robusta are grown on more than 150,000 ha. Coppice-managed plantations of this species supply most of the charcoal to the capital, Antananarivo. A study of genetic variability and genotype × environment interactions for growth and wood volume production was undertaken. It involved five E. robusta trials (two provenance trials and three progeny trials) in two contrasting bioclimatic regions. The five trials were thinned to become seed orchards, and growth was monitored for more than 12 years in oldest trials. Growth results showed that the species is well adapted to the island. The results revealed the importance of the choice of provenances/progenies, especially with less suitable growing conditions. The best provenances mostly came from summer rainfall regions of Australia and the worst from marginal regions to the north and south of the natural range. Estimated provenance repeatability and family repeatability of the growth traits was high, and the estimated individual-tree heritability values were generally moderate. In the provenance trials, approximate gains from selecting provenances or progenies were higher than gains from selecting individual trees within provenances/progenies, and in the progeny trials, it was the opposite. Despite the thinning, individual selection would make it possible to achieve further significant genetic gains. Multisite analyses revealed high significant site effect; these sites differed by rainfall, temperature, and soil type. There were few provenance × site interactions, the best provenances at the two sites being largely the same. However, the progeny × site interactions were greater. Interest in this fast-growing species with high plasticity is increasing, especially in view of climate change, and our findings should help forestry decision-makers.

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Acknowledgements

The plantations of trials were supported by Fanalamanga, Cirad, Fofifa and the project “Création de vergers à graines” FED6 ACP MAG84 funded by Fonds Européen de Développement (European Union). This research was funded partially by Agropolis Fondation under the reference ID 1203-003 through the “Investissements d’avenir” programme (Labex Agro/ANR-10-LABX-0001-01). The authors thank Daniel Verhaegen (Cirad) and Liva Andrianoelina (Silo National des Graines Forestières) for their useful comments; Jean Marc Bouvet and Vincent Lebot (Cirad) for establishment of trials; Honoré Randrianjafy, Raymond Rabevohitra (Fofifa-Département des Recherches Forestières et Piscicoles), and Philippe Vigneron (Cirad) for their support and expertise during the project; Jean Rakotonjanahary and David Nirina Ratovoson for the field managing and inventories; Appolinaire Razafimahatratra and Narivola Razafimaharo for the data managing; and Peter Biggings (Cirad) for the English translation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des Eaux et Forêts, Université d’Antananarivo, Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques, BP 175, Antananarivo, 101, Madagascar

    Andriambelo Radonirina Razafimahatratra & Tahiana Ramananantoandro

  2. FOFIFA Centre Est B.P. 150, Barikadimy, Toamasina, 501, Madagascar

    Vololoniriana Razafimaharo

  3. CIRAD, UMR AGAP, F-34395, Montpellier, France

    Gilles Chaix

  4. ESALQ-USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

    Gilles Chaix

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  1. Andriambelo Radonirina Razafimahatratra
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  2. Tahiana Ramananantoandro
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  3. Vololoniriana Razafimaharo
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  4. Gilles Chaix
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gilles Chaix.

Additional information

Communicated by R. Burdon

Electronic supplementary material

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ESM 1

ST 1: Mean performance in terms of total height for the provenances/progenies at the last inventory ages for the five comparative trials. ST 2: Mean performance in terms of diameter for the provenances/progenies at the last inventory ages for the five comparative trials. (DOCX 38 kb)

ESM 2

SF 1: Mean growth in individual volume for the provenances/progenies depending on age. These figures are based on trees retained after successive thinnings. The provenances/progenies in the legend are ranked according to the mean growth in volume at the last inventory age. The lines to the right of the legend represent groups that are significantly different at the 1% level for the Antsirinala trials and 5% for the Mahela and Ivoloina trials (Fisher’s LSD). (TIFF 28645 kb)

ESM 3

SF 2. Comparison of the mean volume performance of the progenies in progeny trial No. 105 at Antsirinala and the mean performance of the parents in progeny trial No 76 at Antsirinala at 86 months. (TIFF 56666 kb)

ESM 4

SF 3: Across-site analyses: a) Comparison of volume growth for eight provenances common to the two provenance trials. b) Comparison of volume growth for the four progenies common to the three progeny trials. (TIFF 617 kb)

ESM 5

SF 4: Effect of rainfall and temperature in the provenance zones on the growth of the provenances: (a) in trial 76 at Antsirinala at 155 months; (b) in trial 112 at Mahela at 105 months. (TIFF 3166 kb)

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Razafimahatratra, A.R., Ramananantoandro, T., Razafimaharo, V. et al. Provenance and progeny performances and genotype × environment interactions of Eucalyptus robusta grown in Madagascar. Tree Genetics & Genomes 12, 38 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-016-0999-6

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