Variability and plus tree selection in Swietenia macrophylla from Kerala, South India
Abstract
Big leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla, King) is a valuable Neotropic timber species. It is the first extensively traded timber species to be listed in Appendix II of the CITES in 2002. The tree was introduced to India in 1795 and Kerala in 1872. The present study aimed at selecting plus trees of Swietenia macrophylla and evaluating their genetic variability. Forty-five plus trees were selected from 593 candidate trees spread over fifteen locations in Kerala based on baseline regression of trunk volume to crown volume, followed by scoring for qualitative characters. The clean bole height, GBH, crown width, crown volume and wood density of CPTs ranged from 6 to 13.4 m, 0.75 to 2.00 m, 8 to 15 m, 7 to 16 m and 21 to 23 mm, respectively. The plus trees were grouped into five clusters based on their quantitative and qualitative characters. Clustering was independent of the geographical location indicating a lack of development of any land races in the species.
Key words: Swietenia macrophylla, Mahogony, Plus tree selection, CPT, Genetic variability
It is certified that:
- The corresponding author is fully responsible for any disputes arising due to the publication of his/her manuscript.
- The article has been seen by all the authors who are satisfied with its form and content.
- The sequence of names of authors in the by-line is as per their relative contribution to this experiment, giving due credit to all scientists who made notable contribution to it.
- All the authors fully understand that inclusion of any other co-authors or exclusion of any co-authors is not possible once the article has been submitted to the journal.
- The corresponding author takes full responsibility for this article.
- The address of the organization where the research was conducted is given.
- The article is exclusive for this journal, and the results reported here have not been sent (and will not be sent during its consideration by this journal) for publication in any other journal.
- Authors agree to abide by the objective comments of referees and do agree to modify the article into a short note as per the recommendation, for publication in the Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding.
- If published in Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding, the copyright of this article would vest with the Indian Society of Plant Breeders, who will have the right to enter into any agreement with any organization in India or abroad engaged in reprography, photocopying, storage and dissemination of information contained in it, and neither we nor our legal heirs will have any claims on royalty.
