GENETIC-VARIABILITY IN 14 PROVENANCES OF EUCALYPTUS SPECIES IN HAWAII

Eucalyptus spp. are among the most promising exotic tropical hardwoods under field testing for biomass crop production in Hawaii. A first step in establishing a genetically based tree improvement program aimed at increasing biomass yield, coppice regrowth, and other desirable traits for short rotation intensive culture of Eucalyptus spp. on potential biomass plantations is to determine the extent of genetic variability in the locally available stock of germplasm. This study presents an evaluation of allozyme variability revealed through gel electrophoresis in fourteen provenances involving five species of Eucalyptus introduced previously in Hawaii. The high levels of polymorphism and heterozygosity observed in our sample indicate that this initial stock of germplasm represents a suitable base for further genetic improvement. This information is critically important for developing and maintaining environmentally and economically sustainable biomass plantations for long-term success featuring stands which are not genetically vulnerable.