Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Variability in seed- and seedling-related traits of Millettia ferruginea, a potential agroforestry species

  • Published:
New Forests Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Millettia ferruginea (Hochst.) Baker is a potential agroforestry species endemic to Ethiopia. No documented information exists about genetic variation in this species, thus baseline information is needed to initiate improvement program. Here, we quantified variations in seed size, germination and seedling growth at nursery stage based on seeds collected from six sites across the natural range of distribution of the species in Ethiopia. All seed- and seedling-related traits exhibited highly significant differences among seed sources (P < 0.01), and the magnitude of genetic variation was substantially higher (77–99%) than the environmental variation. The genetic advance as percent of the mean was higher for germination capacity (69.4%) and seed weight (31.7%) than for other traits, suggesting that the population means for these traits may be changed considerably by selecting the superior 5% of the genotypes. There were strong phenotypic (rp = 0.81) and genotypic (rg = 0.89) correlations between seed width and seed weight, so also between seedling height and root collar diameter (rp = 0.95 and rg = 1.00). In conclusion, the results reveal the existence of substantial genetic variation, which can be utilized to initiate tree improvement program of the species and for gene conservation in seed banks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aalbæk A (1993) Tree seed zones for Ethiopia. Forestry Research Centre/National Tree Seed Project. Addis Ababa and Danida Forest Seed Centre, Humlebæk, Denmark, p 120

    Google Scholar 

  • Allard RW (1999) Principles of plant breeding, 2nd edn. John Wiley & Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekele A, Birnie A, Tengnäs B (1993) Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia: identification, propagation and management for agricultural and pastoral community. Technical Hand Book No 5. Regional soil conservation unit, Swedish International Development Authority, Nairobi, Kenya, p 474

  • Benowicz A, El-Kassaby YA, Guy RD, Ying CC (2000) Sitka Alder (Alnus sinuate RYDB.) genetic diversity in germination, frost hardiness and growth attributes. Silvae Genet 49:206–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Benowicz A, Guy R, Carlson MR, El-Kassaby YA (2001) Genetic variation among paper birch (Betula papyrifera MARSH.) populations in germination, frost hardiness, gas exchange and growth. Silvae Genet 50:7–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Burley J, Wood PJ (1976) A manual on species and provenance research with particular reference to the tropics. Tropical Forestry Papers. No. 10A. Depertment of Forestry, Commomwealth Forestry Institute, University of Oxford, p 226

  • Coates DJ, Byrne M (2005) Genetic variation in plant populations: assessing cause and pattern. In: Henry RJ (ed) Plant diversity and evolution: genotypic and phenotypic variation in higher plants. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, pp 139–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Cundall EP, Cahalan CM, Connolly T (2003) Early results of ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) provenance trials at sites in England and Wales. Forestry 76:385–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dagne E, Bekele A (1990) C-Penylated isoflavones from Millettia ferruginea. Phytochem 28:2679–2682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dagne E, Bekele A, Waterman PG (1989) The flavonoids of Millettia ferruginea subsp. ferruginea and subsp. derassana in Ethiopia. Phytochem 28:1897–1900

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dagne E, Bekele A, Noguchi H, Shibuya M, Sankawa U (1990) O-Geranylated and O-Penylated flavonoids from Millettia ferruginea. Phytochem 29:2671–2673

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson RH, Edwards DGW, Sziklai O, El-Kassaby YA (1996) Genetic variation in germination parameters among populations of Pacific Silver Fir. Silvae Genet 45:165–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Fichtl R, Adi A (1994) Honey bee flora of Ethiopia. Margraf Verlag, Weikersheim, p 510

    Google Scholar 

  • Friis I (1992) Forests and forest trees of North East Tropical Africa. Kew Bull Addit Series 15:1–396

    Google Scholar 

  • Gera M, Gera N, Ginwal HS (2000) Seed trait variations in Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Seed Sci Technol 28:467–475

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutterman Y (2000) Maternal effects on seeds during development. In: Fenner M (ed) Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities, 2nd edn. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, pp 59–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Hailu T, Negash L, Olsson M (2000) Millettia ferruginea from Ethiopia: impacts on soil fertility and growth of maize. Agroforest Syst 48:9–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamrick JL, Godt MJ, Sherman-Broyles SL (1992) Factors influencing levels of genetic diversity in woody plant species. New Forests 6:92–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harms KE, Wright SJ, Calderon O, Hernandez A, Herre EA (2000) Pervasive density-dependent recruitment enhances seedling diversity in a tropical forest. Nature 404:493–495

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harper JL, Lovell E, Moore KG (1970) The shapes and sizes of seeds. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 1:327–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge GR, Dvorak WS (2004) The CAMCORE international provenance/progeny trials of Gmelina arborea: genetic parameters and potential gain. New Forests 28:147–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim AM, Fagg CW, Harris SA (1997) Seed and seedling variations amongst provenances in Faidherbia albida. For Ecol Manage 97:197–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansen PCM (1981) Spices, condiments and medicinal plants in Ethiopia, their taxonomy and agricultural significance. Agricultural Research Reports 906, Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen, p 327

  • Jayasankar S, Babu LC, Sudhakar K, Kumar PD (1999a) Evaluation of provenances for seedling attributes in teak (Tectona grandis L.F.). Silvae Genet 48:115–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayasankar S, Babu LC, Sudhakar K, Unnithan VKG (1999b) Provenance variation in seed and germination characteristics of teak (Tectona grandis L.F.). Seed Sci Technol 27:131–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Johanson HW, Robinson HF, Conmstock RE (1955) Estimates of genetic and environmental variability in soybeans. Agron J 47:314–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleinschmit J, Svolba V, Enescu A, Franke H, Rau M, Ruetz W (1996) First results of the provenance test with Fraxinus excelsior established 1982. Forstarchiv 67:114–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauridsen EB (2004) Features of some provenances in an international provenance experiment of Gmelina arborea. New Forests 28:127–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leishman MR, Wright IJ, Moles AT, Westoby M (2000) The evolutionary ecology of seed size. In: Fenner M (ed) Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities, 2nd edn. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, pp 31–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Loha A, Tigabu M, Teketay D, Lundkvist K, Fries A (2006) Provenance variation in seed morphometric traits, germination and seedling growth of Cordia africana Lam. New Forests 32:71–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mamo N, Mihretu M, Fekadu M, Tigabu M, Teketay D (2006) Variation in seed and germination characteristics among Juniperus procera populations in Ethiopia. For Ecol Manage 225:320–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mantovan NG (2002) Early growth differentiation among Prosopis flexuosa D.C. provenances from the Monte phytogeographic province, Argentina. New Forests 23:19–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mkonda A, Lungu S, Maghembe JA, Mafongoya PL (2003) Fruit- and seed-germination characteristics of Strychnos cocculoides an indigenous fruit tree from natural populations in Zambia. Agroforest Syst 58:25–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moles AT, Westoby M (2004) Seedling survival and seed size: a synthesis of the literature. J Ecol 92:372–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Negash L (1995) Indigenous trees of Ethiopia: biology, uses and propagation techniques. SLU Rprocentralen, Umeå, p 285

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagta HC, Nautiyal S (2001) Growth performance and genetic divergence of various provenances of Dilbergia sissoo ROXB. at nursery stage. Silvae Genet 50:93–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimizu JY, Spence LA, Martins EG, de Araujo AJ (2002) Genetic and phenotypic variations in early growth performance of grevillea trees for use in agroforestry. Int For Rev 4:128–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Sivakumar V, Parthiban KT, Singh BG, Gnanambal VS, Anandalakshmi R, Geetha S (2002) Variability in drupe characters and their relationship on seed germination in teak (Tectona grandis L.F.). Silvae Genet 51:232–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern K, Roche L (1974) Genetics of forest ecosystem. Springer Verlag, New York, p 330

    Google Scholar 

  • Teketay D (1996) Germination ecology of twelve indigenous and eight exotic multipurpose leguminous species from Ethiopia. For Ecol Manage 80:209–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teketay D, Tegineh A (1991) Shade trees of coffee in Harerghe, Eastern Ethiopia. Int Tree Crops J 7:17–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomsen KA, Kjær ED (2002) Variation between single tree progenies of Fagus sylvatica in seed traits, and its implications for effective population numbers. Silvae Genet 51:183–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Thulin M (1989) Fabaceae. In: Hedberg I, Edwards S (eds) Flora of Ethiopia, vol 3. Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa and Uppsala University, Uppsala, pp 49–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Varghese TM, Singh RK, Choudhary BD (1976) Biometrical techniques in genetics and breeding. International Bioscience Publishers, Hissar, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Wulff RD (1995) Environmental maternal effects on seed quality and germination. In: Kigel J, Galili G (eds) Seed development and germination. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York/Basel/Hong Kong, pp 491–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Zar J (1996) Biostatistical analysis. Prentice-Hall Inc., New Jersey, p 662

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study was financially supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). Wondo Genet College of Forestry, Ethiopia is highly acknowledged for logistics support during the field work. Staff of the Seed Laboratory of the Forestry Research Center and Sirinka Agricultural Research Center, Mr. Yonas at Bedelle tree seed station and Dr. Zerfu Hailu are gratefully acknowledged for their support during seed collection, characterization, germination and seedling growth performance tests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Tropical Silviculture and Seed Laboratory, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umea, 901 83, Sweden

    Abraham Loha & Mulualem Tigabu

  2. Forest Stewardship Council, African Regional Office (FSC Africa), 4 Asoyi Road, East Legon UPO LPMB 11, Legon, Accra, Ghana

    Demel Teketay

Authors
  1. Abraham Loha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mulualem Tigabu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Demel Teketay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mulualem Tigabu.

Additional information

In memory of the late Abraham Loha, who passed away during the writing process.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Loha, A., Tigabu, M. & Teketay, D. Variability in seed- and seedling-related traits of Millettia ferruginea, a potential agroforestry species. New Forests 36, 67–78 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-008-9082-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-008-9082-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation