A breeding strategy for Acacia mearnsii(black wattle) in South Africa

SynopsisThe black wattle breeding programme that has served the wattle bark industry ofSouth Africa for the past five decades putlittleemphasis on improvingthe yield and quality ofthe timber, as timberwas not the product ofimportance. Today the timber is as important, ifnot more so, than the bark. Adecision was taken, by the industry to re-design the breedingand production strategy for the species in SouthAfrica, to improve timber yield and quality while maintaining an acceptable bark quality. Using the available seed at the ICFR at present, a Multiple PopulationBreedingStrategyhas beenchosen. The sub-populationshavebeen established usingthe origin ofthe seed as the determiningfactor. Five sub-populationswere establishedinKwaZulu-Natal during November 2002. The sub-populations were designed as progeny tests and as seedling seed orchards planted adjacent to one another. The performance of the families in the progeny tests will determine the management ofthe seed orchards. Generation turnover will be via open pollination in the initial years. Once a nucleus populationis established, controlled pollinations maybe used. The benefits from this strategy will be passed on to the industry in the form ofimproved seed.