A Pinus radiata breeding trial was recently established in WA to test the offspring from some of the best trees in Australia. Forest Genetics Manager Anjanette Chandler said that establishing this trial was complex. Source: Timberbiz
“The Myalup trial consisted of 7500 of the best seedlings available in Australia. This represented more than 270 different seedlots, all of which needed to be hand planted by our fantastic volunteers,” Ms. Chandler said.
“Each of these seedlots were individually labelled and planted out in a precise experimental design, allowing us to track each seedling over its full rotation.
Seed for this trial was provided by Tree Breeding Australia, the national Pinus radiata tree breeding cooperative, with the trial forming part of a series replicated across the country.
“An assessment at around seven years of age will provide information on how well the different seedlots perform both within and between trial sites,” Ms. Chandler said.
This will ultimately guide what should be planted in Forest Production Commission (FPC) seed orchards, ensuring the FPC is only using the best genetics.
