FAO/IUFRO Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding

After the Congress the Davidson family travelled Oslo – Myrdal – Flåm – Bergen – Stavanger in Norway, then flew Stavanger to London. From London we took a train to Oxford and stayed several days in nearby Woodstock. With a rented car I visited the Commonwealth Forestry Institute in Oxford and we later travelled to Stonehenge and Stratford-upon-Avon. Then it was back to London – Heathrow by train for the flights back to Lae.

1977

FAO/IUFRO Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding

From 21 – 26 March 1977 200 scientists met in Canberra for the FAO/IUFRO Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding. The Consultation reviewed worldwide progress, problems and prospects in the field of exploration, selection and conservation of forest germ plasm resources. There were accounts of research results and trial results of breeding work with different tree species of coniferous species and angiosperms, including conifers mainly, and eucalypts. Presented were studies on plant propagation, hybridization, crosspollination, genetic variability and heritability of genetic characters. A theme of directed gene management was held throughout the six sessions held. The first two sessions covered gene conservation, the second two breeding methodology and the last two economics and future strategies.

In the first session, I presented a paper on exploration, collection, evaluation, conservation and utilization of the gene resources of E. deglupta. 138In the first two sessions the main emphasis was on the usefulness and economics of species’ conservation and on the need to conserve tropical species that faced rapid elimination and the immediate loss of potentially valuable gene resources. E. deglupta was one of those species. It was pointed out in discussion that breeding programmes of the future in some of the poorer nations required provenance and species collections right away but they could not afford to undertake such work. In situ preservation could be useful occasionally, but new emphasis was given at this Consultation to ex situ planting of large secondary gene pools, especially when one of the objectives was achieving adaptation over a wide range of sites. The block plantings of the Philippines provenances of E. deglupta we had established at Gogol in 1971/72 were examples of this strategy. The success of land races after one generation of adaptation led many delegates to call for establishing base populations to store of useful genetic variation. The base population for E. deglupta Alan Williams and I had identified at Keravat in 1970/71 was already an example of this tactic being applied in PNG.

138 Davidson J 1977 Exploration, collection, evaluation, conservation and utilization of the gene resources of tropical Eucalyptus deglupta. Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding, 21 – 26 March, Canberra, Australia.

Papers on conifers in which substantial genetic gains were being made dominated the third session. However, I presented one “invited special paper” on breeding E. deglupta as a case study139 and one on vegetative propagation of eucalypts.140There was argumentative discussion on how to accommodate intensive recurrent selection with its resulting narrowing of the genetic base in comparison with low selection intensity in gene pool conservation, which needs a broad genetic base. There was agreement that an absence of heterosis is the common outcome in species hybrid breeding and the usefulness of hybrids lies in capturing the additive combination of the desired traits in clonal propagation, as in the mass propagation of eucalypt cuttings that had been achieved with E. deglupta in PNG. We learned for the first time of early results of the huge programme on breeding eucalypts and mass clonal propagation by cuttings underway at Aracruz Florestal in Brazil.141

Seed orchard technology was discussed in the fourth session. Breeders reported they were increasingly able to exercise control over mating. The subject of genotype x environment interaction was discussed including the issue of breeding one population for general adaptability across several diverse sites. This discussion was relevant to PNG since I was at the time using a single Keravat breeding population that, after installation in the seed orchard at Bulolo, was being distributed from there to several sites.

The last sessions were on economics and future strategies. I presented a paper on advances that could accrue from international cooperation on tropical eucalypts.142

During the Consultation I chaired an evening business meeting of the IUFRO Working Party S.2.03-10 on Breeding Eucalypts. We discussed the intention to produce a book on breeding eucalypts and that the drafting would be led by the four co-chairmen of the Working Party with support and contributions from members.

139 Davidson J 1977 Breeding Eucalyptus deglupta – a case study. Invited special paper. Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding, 21 – 26 March, Canberra, Australia. (Pages 1187 – 1203, Vol. 2, in the later published Proceedings) 140 Davidson J 1997 Problems of vegetative propagation of Eucalyptus. Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding, 21 –26 March, Canberra, Australia. (Pages 857 – 882, Vol. 2, in the later published Proceedings) 141 Campinhos E and Ikemori Y K 1977 Tree Improvement Program for Eucalyptus spp – preliminary results. Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding, 21 – 26 March, Canberra, Australia. (Pages 262 – 270, Vol. 1, in the later published Proceedings) 142 Davidson J 1977 Advances from international cooperation on tropical Eucalyptus. Third World Consultation on Forest Tree Breeding, 21 – 26 March, Canberra, Australia. (Pages 355 – 369, Vol. 1, in the later published Proceedings