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Perspectives for genetic improvement in heartwood size and extractive content in relation to natural durability and aesthetics in interspecific hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepis)

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Abstract

Larch heartwood is the only valuable part of timber when natural durability and aesthetics are requested for end-use products. Therefore, improvement in both quantitative and qualitative properties of heartwood will benefit industry. Genetic variation of heartwood size, extractive content in relation to decay resistance and of colour was studied in 40 full-sib progenies of hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepis) at age 21. Expected genetic gains from various selection scenarios were then investigated. Among all traits studied, extractive contents (total phenols, taxifolin and DHK) showed the highest variability both at the individual (e.g. for taxifolin 3–42 mg g−1 DW) and mean family (e.g. for taxifolin 10–21 mg g−1 DW) levels with heritabilities over 0.66. In contrast, CIELAB colour parameters together with ring density were the least variable, but their heritabilities were close to those of the extractives. Heartwood diameter showed a FS-family mean heritability close to that of radial growth (0.68). European larch (female parent) seemed to play a major role in the genetic control of extractives content, colour and density in the hybrid, while Japanese larch (male) contributed most to the variability for radial growth and heartwood size. Direct selection for heartwood extractive content and heartwood size looked promising with expected gains over 24 and 14 %, respectively (i = 2.043), but it was much less efficient for colour parameters (6 % at most) whatever the selection methods tested. Our study showed that it is still possible to jointly improve radial growth, heartwood size and its extractive content with some success (gains around 10 %) without costly chemical analysis.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted thanks to a research grant (projet innovant) from the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique—EFPA Department. We are grateful to F. Millier for the field work and M. del Carmen García-Casas (ALFA-GEMA European project 2004-2007 grant), N. Boizot and K. Ader, for laboratory analysis. All the chemical results were obtained within the regional technical platform “GénoBois” (INRA Orléans Laboratory). We also thank the two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions to improve this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA-UR 0588 AGPF, Centre Val de Loire Orléans, 2163, Avenue de la pomme de pin, CS40001- Ardon, 45075, Orléans Cedex 2, France

    Luc E. Pâques & Jean-Paul Charpentier

  2. INRA, GenoBois Regional Technical Platform, Centre Val de Loire Orléans, Orléans, France

    Jean-Paul Charpentier

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  1. Luc E. Pâques
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  2. Jean-Paul Charpentier
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Correspondence to Luc E. Pâques.

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Communicated by Martina Meincken.

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Pâques, L.E., Charpentier, JP. Perspectives for genetic improvement in heartwood size and extractive content in relation to natural durability and aesthetics in interspecific hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepis). Eur J Forest Res 134, 857–868 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-015-0895-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-015-0895-x

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