ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH AND WOOD TRAITS OF CASUARINA CLONES AT DIVERSE SITES IN KARNATAKA
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Date
2020-11-16
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KELADI SHIVAPPA NAYAKA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SCIENCES, SHIVAMOGGA (COF, PONNAMPET)
Abstract
Plantation forestry in India is playing a crucial role in meeting the wood requirement of the country. The productivity of plantations can be enhanced through the selection and deployment of site-specific clones with desirable traits and suitable silvicultural practices. Due to the adaptability to a wide range of climatic and edaphic conditions Casuarinas are preferred for environmental and commercial planting and has also gained importance as major pulpwood species. Site-specific clones can be recommended for particular end uses by assessment of clonal trials. Thus, the present study was conducted to assess the growth performance and wood properties of Casuarina clones in clonal trials located at Kunchenahally, Sindigere and Jakkasandra of Karnataka. The results revealed that CH-10 showed better growth performance at Kunchenahally whereas CH-4 and CH-1 performed better at Sindigere and Jakkasandra sites respectively. Among the different clones, CH-1 had superior wood properties and anatomical ratios in individual sites over other clones and thus exhibit desirable pulping properties. Moderate to higher clonal repeatability (0.34 to 0.99) for clones in individual sites imply that growth is strongly controlled by genetic component. Clonal repeatability for wood traits ranged from low to high (0.03 to 0.93). Significant and strong phenotypic and genotypic correlation was observed among the growth traits and most of the wood traits.