Eucalyptus AND Acacia SPECIES AND FUTURE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE UP COUNTRY OF SRI LANKA

Abstract

Most of the arable lands in up country are used for tea and some other cash crops likevegetables. The land available for commercial reforestation is marginal and degraded.However, commercially valuable tree species like EIII"(//Y/IIIIS and Acacia are planted in thetea plantations as an additional income source: to produce a significant timber and fuelwood production.

Naturally available tree species cannot be cultivated commercially due to their slow growthand poor timber quality. Furthermore, Mirhrlia champaca, Ccdrella 1001/(/ andArtocarpus heterophyltus that arc loculiscd to up country show slow growth and aretherefore very difficult to plant as commercial trees.

Fast growing Eucatvptus and Acacia species have been introduced to up country in theIRO()s. E. grandis and E. microcorys species are planted in the up country in large-scaleindustrial plantations and in the farmlands, Hence they produce significant production forthe.timber market. Acacia species are not planted widely in this zone but there will be ahigh potential for the species A. mclauoxylon in the future as a furniture timber tree.

Genetic improvement of Elim/Y/IIIIS started in 19XOs. E.gr(///(/is, E.lllil"rocorys, E.clocziana and E. urophylla have shown promising growth in the species trials.Provenances of E. graudis from northern Queensland and provenances or E. micrororysfrom northern New South Wales have performed well. Broad range provenances of A.mclanoxvlon trial have been established in the recent past.

A long term breeding programme for Eigrandis was formulated in 1994. The firstgeneration progeny trial was established in 1995 in the upcountry intermediate zone.Hence, it is proposed to convert that to a seedling seed orchard in the future. Two seedproduction areas for each species were established in two different climatic zones, Upcountry intermediate and wet zone for immediate seed requirements.

Present activities of tree improvement in the up country and future improvement strategiesand plans will he discussed.