Potential of Corymbia torelliana hybrids for hardwood forestry and investigation of their seed dispersal by Trigona bees. Cadaghi (Corymbia torelliana) and their hybrids with spotted gums (C. variegata complex) have enormous potential for plantation forestry. These hybrids have many excellent features that make them exciting as hardwood species, such as resistence to disease, tolerance of marginal environments, good wood properties, and fast growth rates. This project will create hybrids between ....Potential of Corymbia torelliana hybrids for hardwood forestry and investigation of their seed dispersal by Trigona bees. Cadaghi (Corymbia torelliana) and their hybrids with spotted gums (C. variegata complex) have enormous potential for plantation forestry. These hybrids have many excellent features that make them exciting as hardwood species, such as resistence to disease, tolerance of marginal environments, good wood properties, and fast growth rates. This project will create hybrids between Corymbia torelliana and spotted gums to identify hybrids which are suitable for sustainable wood production on marginal agricultural lands.
An unusual feature of Cadaghi is that native Trigona bees disperse their seeds. This project will investigate this unique seed dispersal mechanism and identify features of hybrids that are not attractive to bees. This will prevent environmental problems by preventing hybrids from dispersing seeds, becoming weedy and harming the Trigona bees.
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Site factors and genotype-site interaction affecting growth of eucalypt hybrids bred for commercial agro-forestry as a salinity management tool. Preliminary results indicate that with appropriate site-genotype matching, commercial plantation forestry can be pushed well below the current limit (650-700mm/yr). Outcomes from this project will potentially facilitate doubling of Australia's forest plantations, eliminate the annual trade deficit of $2 billion in forest products; ensure the long term e ....Site factors and genotype-site interaction affecting growth of eucalypt hybrids bred for commercial agro-forestry as a salinity management tool. Preliminary results indicate that with appropriate site-genotype matching, commercial plantation forestry can be pushed well below the current limit (650-700mm/yr). Outcomes from this project will potentially facilitate doubling of Australia's forest plantations, eliminate the annual trade deficit of $2 billion in forest products; ensure the long term environmental and productive sustainability of our agricultural production systems; diversify and drought proof farm income through the introduction of perennial tree crops whose yield and harvest is independent of short term seasonal fluctuations; and re-invigorate the economy of rural Australia brought about by investment in new, inland forest and wood processing industries.Read moreRead less