Institute for Commercial Forestry Research
Annual Research Review 2003 OVERVIEW
The Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) was inaugurated on 13 September 1984. It evolved from the Wattle Research Institute (WRI) which was established in 1947. The ICFR is presently the only privately funded forestry research institute in South Africa and is funded by direct contributions from companies and organisations in the forestry industry. The ICFR is located on the campus of the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg. The research undertaken by the ICFR concentrates on all the applied aspects of commercial timber growing and is conducted in close collaboration with the growers. In setting research priorities the ICFR accommodates recommendations from its Board of Control and Steering Committees. It is through these mechanisms and the active participation of the Support Groups of the ICFR that the research activities are kept relevant for both present and anticipated problems All correspondence should in the industry. be addressed to: The Director Institute for Commercial Forestry Research PO Box 100281, Scottsville, 3209 South Africa Telephone +27 (33) 386 2314 Fax +27 (33) 386 8905
Sabie Office PO Box 204, Sabie, 1260 Telephone +27 (13) 764 2393 764 3284 / 764 1122 Fax +27 (13) 764 3284
Kwambonambi Office PO Box 59, Kwambonambi, 3915 Telephone +27 (35) 550 3451 Cell phone 082 808 4414
Internet e-mail: [email protected]
World wide web: http://www.icfrnet.unp.ac.za
© Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, 2004 ISBN 0-620-31629-2
Indemnity: The recommendations contained in the ICFR Annual Research Review are based on the results of research conducted at the ICFR and reflect our current understanding of the complex interrelationships involved. The ICFR reserves the right to subsequently modify recommendations in the light of new evidence from ongoing research and no guarantees are provided, either explicitly or by implication. The ICFR must be acknowledged whenever information contained in this document is reproduced or used in any form.
Page 2 Annual Research Review 2003 CONTENTS
Board of Control ...... 4 Foreword ...... 5 Director’s Report...... 6 Outputs ...... 13 Eucalypt Tree Improvement ...... 18 Programme overview Cold tolerant eucalypts Tree improvement in Eucalyptus nitens Tree improvement in Eucalyptus macarthurii Tree improvement in Eucalyptus dunnii Tree improvement in Eucalyptus smithii Tree improvement in new and minor species Zululand species - Eucalyptus henryi and E. longirostrata Flowering research and seed production Outputs References Acacia Research ...... 28 Programme overview Acacia breeding Sterile wattle Species testing Acknowledgements Outputs References Forest Nutrition ...... 37 Programme Overview Site management for sustained productivity Hardwood nutrition Softwood nutrition Nutritional sustainability Outputs References Plantation Re-establishment Research...... 46 Programme Overview Vegetation management Coppice management Ecophysiological regeneration research Re-establishment research core project Pine Fusarium Working Group Outputs Forest Productivity ...... 56 Programme Overview Growth modelling and yield optimisation Harvesting impacts and sustainability Site-species interaction Core funding Innovation fund Mensuration and Modelling Research Consortium (MMRC) Outputs
ICFR Trials ...... 65 Summary of Current Trials ...... 72 ICFR Staff ...... 74
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 3 Board of Control
standing L-R: Edwin Schramm (CTC), Peter Keyworth (NCT), Dennis Lawrie (GFP), Kevin Cazalet (Mondi), Siggie von Fintel (TWK), Prof. Peter Zacharias (UNatal) seated L-R: Philip Day (MCC), Mike Edwards (FSA), Prof. Charles Breen (Chairman), Prof. Colin Dyer (Director), Andre Wagenaar (Sappi) absent: Botha Maree (HMH), James Luckhoff (KLF)
ICFR Members
Forestry South Africa (FSA) Global Forest Products (GFP) Komatiland Forests (KLF) Masonite Africa Ltd Mondi Forests NCT Forestry Co-operative Ltd (NCT) Northern Timbers Sappi Forests Sappi Usutu Singisi Forest Products SiyaQhubeka Forests Mimosa Central Co-operative (MCC) The Central Timber Co-operative (CTC) TWK Agriculture Ltd (TWK)
Page 4 Annual Research Review 2003 Foreword
Research is not an end in itself. In the forest industry it is a service through which the Institute of Commercial Forestry Research provides globally competitive science directed at promoting efficiency and sustainability. To be successful, the Institute must be responsive to the needs of industry, whilst at the same time satisfying peers of the quality of its scientific endeavour. Publication of research findings in international journals provides a ready measure of the extent to which research conducted by the Institute is globally competitive. It is evident from this report that staff of the Institute meet this challenge admirably and we congratulate them on their achievements.
It is much more difficult to measure the value of the Institute to the industry. Responding to research needs is not sufficient. What counts Professor Charles Breen, for industry is the value that new knowledge brings and since this may Chairman of the ICFR Board of Control. take time to materialise, it is less easy to define precisely and measure. The industry continues to demonstrate its faith in the Institute by providing core funding and by entering into strategic alliances that fund directed research. Whilst this shows tacit acceptance that the knowledge being generated is adding value, it is not sufficiently rigorous to strengthen synergy between the strategic partners. With this in mind, during 2004, the Director will be developing a system for measuring the value of the Institute to the industry. It is envisaged that this system will focus attention on defining and measuring the outcomes of research as they affect both the industry and the Institute. We believe that this process will lead to greater efficiency in research.
It is very pleasing to report a growing demand for information on research findings. How the Institute manages access to information will be a significant factor determining its strength and the competitive advantage industry derives from the research it supports. In the coming year the Director will be reviewing how and to whom information is made available with a view to safeguarding the interests of the Institute and those who support it.
It is my pleasure to extend the appreciation of the Board of Control to the Director, Colin Dyer, and his staff on the success attained during the year.
Prof. Charles Breen Chairman, Board of Control.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 5 Director’s Report
It gives me pleasure to present the Annual Research Review for the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research for 2003.
The outputs from the research programmes and projects are covered fully in the following sections of this document. In my report, I would like to highlight some of the special initiatives that have been undertaken by the ICFR and outline the support functions that enable the research to be done in an efficient way.
The next year promises to be a challenge to our industry, particularly with the strong local currency and the devastating fires that affected over 35 000 hectares of plantations. This will drive the research focus to be even more closely aligned to improving productivity from the Professor Colin Dyer forests. Director of the ICFR Focusing on sustainable forest management is critical for the long- term sustainability of our industry. Our ability to grow raw material cheaply and from a renewable resource will continue to differentiate the South African forest industry.
I would like to pay tribute to Dr Niko Stutterheim, our immediate past chairman who retired in early 2003 after almost 20 years as chairman of the ICFR Board of Control. Niko guided the ICFR from its inception in 1984 to his retirement in early 2003.
In addition, it gives me pleasure to welcome Prof. Charles Breen as the current chairman of the ICFR Board of Control. The past year also saw an expanded Board of Control. We now have full representation for NCT Forestry Co-operative, the Central Timber Co-operative and TWK Agriculture Ltd.
The ICFR has continued to be a home for Forest Engineering South Africa (FESA). Francois Oberholzer, the FESA co-ordinator has delivered some very high impact projects during the year, particularly the self-regulating, Load Accreditation Programme (LAP) which should facilitate a significant reduction in over-loading of timber trucks into the mills.
Similarly, the ICFR is home to the Modelling and Mensuration Research Consortium (MMRC) which, under the co-ordination of Trevor Morley has completed the development of an industry-level database of growth and yield information.
Staff We were shocked by the untimely death of Sam Soko who passed away in November. Sam was one of our key technicians at the Sabie Regional office and, at the time of his death, was only six months away from completing his Forestry Diploma at the Port Elizabeth Technikon.
Page 6 Annual Research Review 2003 Two of our long-serving staff members retired at the end of 2003. After 27 and 28 years service respectively, we wish Tim Goodricke and Sieg Hagedorn well in their retirement.
Shadron Naicker (Pietermaritzburg) and Denis Oscroft (Kwambonambi) both achieved 20 years service at the ICFR in 2003.
Darren de Leur, a technician in the Acacia Research programme left the ICFR during 2003 to pursue a professional rugby career in England. Nikki Meinesz, our receptionist at Sabie, left the ICFR at the end of 2003.
Tim Goodricke Through our association with the University of Natal and other tertiary education institutions, we have continued to involve post-graduate students working on components of our research programmes. We have engaged students at the Honours, Masters and Doctoral level, and are involved at the M Tech level through our association with the Port Elizabeth Technikon.
At the undergraduate level, the ICFR has continued to play a teaching role in the B Sc Agric degree in forestry at the University of Natal, and provide practical training opportunities for undergraduate students from the Port Elizabeth Technikon. During 2003 the ICFR hosted David Borain for a six-month experiential training module.
Sieg Hagedorn Human Resource Development The ICFR has continued to invest in the development of its staff. Robin Gardner successfully completed his M Sc degree at the University of Natal on flowering in Eucalyptus nitens. Paul Viero completed his M Tech at the Port Elizabeth Technikon and Gert van den Berg completed his B Sc at the University of South Africa.
The ICFR currently has a number of its staff registered for post-graduate studies at various South African universities and Technikons:
Ph D Janine Campion University of the Witwatersrand Ben du Toit University of the Witwatersrand Luke Esprey University of Natal Di Rietz (Bursar) University of Natal M Sc Steven Dovey University of Natal Rob Dunlop University of Natal Gert van den Berg University of Natal Tim Ross (Bursar) University of Stellenbosch M Tech Greg Fuller Port Elizabeth Technikon Anthony Job Port Elizabeth Technikon Forestry Diploma Gavin Higgs Port Elizabeth Technikon Shadron Naicker Port Elizabeth Technikon Sam Soko Port Elizabeth Technikon Management Advancement Diploma Mike Chetty University of Natal
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 7 In addition, a number of staff attended short courses to acquire specialist skills that enable the ICFR to be more effective in its delivery on projects. These included courses in tree breeding techniques, statistics, safety, scientific writing, and a range of computer software courses.
Conferences and Overseas Travel Through our membership of the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) network, Ben du Toit and Steven Dovey attended the annual CIFOR workshop in Guangdong, China, where they presented the work being done in the South African component (the Karkloof trial) of this international collaborative project.
Through our collaboration with Prof. Mary Scholes at the University of the Witwatersrand, and the bilateral technical agreement between South Africa and Sweden, Janine Campion, Ben du Toit and Luke Esprey were able to attend a workshop “Measuring and modelling carbon pools and fluxes in forest ecosystems” in Sweden.
Carol Rolando visited a number of research groups in the South-Eastern United States to develop technical partnerships in the early silviculture of pines.
As part of the ICFR’s role in the Innovation Fund project, Dr Colin Smith visited Brazil and Ecuador to evaluate the implementation of the 3-PG model in their forest management systems.
The ICFR also hosted many visitors over the past year. In addition to numerous visits from the members, there were delegations from China, Malaysia, Thailand, the USA, Tanzania and Kenya.
Collaboration The ICFR is based on a model that maintains a core competence in sustainable plantation silviculture from which a number of relevant projects can be undertaken. A key component is through alliances and partnerships whereby our capacity can be extended on a project basis. Through partnerships with universities and technikons, the ICFR provides a highly relevant framework for post-graduate research projects. At the same time we are able to address aspects of projects that cannot be addressed by the ICFR alone, gain new perspectives from the students and their supervisors, and develop a much broader understanding of the subject in a cost effective way. We also collaborate with a number of research institutions locally and internationally.
The project for the National Innovation Fund has been progressing well. This is a collaboration between the CSIR, the ICFR, the MMRC and Brousse James and Associates focussed on developing a planning tool for yield and water-use predictions. During 2003, we were fortunate to host Dr Peter Sands from the CRC for Sustainable Forestry in Australia for five weeks. Dr Sands is one of the key biological modellers in the
Page 8 Annual Research Review 2003 world and while at the ICFR, he worked with Luke Esprey on further developments of the process-based model 3-PG for South African species.
The Pine Fusarium Working Group, under the chairmanship of Paul Viero is making progress towards managing this potentially devastating pathogen. The group works closely with the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria and the South African Seedling Growers Association.
Similarly the industry is collaborating on the monitoring and control of the Sirex woodwasp. The ICFR, together with FABI and the industry are collaborating to ensure that the threat is managed at an industry level.
SUPPORT FUNCTIONS Administration The Team: Sean Best, Mike Chetty, Tim Goodricke, Jabulani Mchunu, Nikki Meinesz,Ella Mkhize, Karin Nagel, Yvonne Ntombela, Denis Oscroft, Bev Oscroft,Maria Seketane, Tracy Steart, Tammy Swain, Tanya Wilby.
The support of the administration at the ICFR is critical for the execution of the research programmes. This covers all aspects of good corporate governance, financial management, human resource management, reception, secretarial services, vehicle and building maintenance, computer network maintenance, managing the regional offices, environmental health and safety, and employment equity.
The ICFR had no serious incidents or accidents during 2003 and the external audit had no audit queries.
Technology Transfer The Team: Sally Upfold
It became evident during 2003 that the ICFR could not cope with the huge demand for field-day presentations and demonstrations from our members. We decided to focus our efforts on four forestry regions: Mpumalanga, Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and the Central region. Forestry in each of these is represented through a regional interest group and these committees identify the themes and important issues for field days. The ICFR will present two field days per region per year and these will be focussed on the issues identified.
We also recognised that where our researchers have presented their results at international conferences the transfer of technology to the sponsors was not always effective. In 2004 the ICFR will host a forest science symposium thereby providing an opportunity for scientists from all of the institutions serving the forest industry to present to their peers the papers that they have presented at the conferences. We
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 9 believe that this will go a long way towards improving communication between the various research groups.
From the summary of outputs listed in the next section it is clear that there is a significant increase in the number of peer-reviewed scientific papers published. These have been steadily improving over the past five years.
Similarly the number and quality of the technical reports has been improving since we improved the peer-review procedure for these. In many respects the quality of these technical reports matches that required for the top scientific journals.
For 2003, the ICFR produced: Bulletins and Innovations 33 Papers in Conference Proceedings 1 Papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals 16 (plus 4 submitted) Workshops and field-day presentations Over 60
Information Centre The Team: Desiree Lamoral, Innocent Mchunu, Richard Kunz
The ICFR Information Centre continues to provide a valuable service to both researchers at the ICFR and to our members and associates. In addition to housing the ICFR publications and a specialised book, journal and pamphlet collection, the library also has online access to a number of forestry-related databases.
Our members frequently make use of the Information Centre with approximately 900 visitors to the library in 2003. There were over 2200 requests for information, 149 requests for literature searches, 130 requests for ICFR publications and 185 requests for inter-library loans.
The consolidation of information and making this readily available to researchers and members remains a key responsibility for this group. During 2004, the pamphlet and brochure collection will be consolidated into a searchable database.
A highlight has been the development of the Forest Productivity Toolbox, a decision support tool for estimating productivity of tree species from climatic variables. This has been completed and will be released in early 2004.
Analytical Laboratory The Team: Mike Chetty, Mary Galbraith, Lewis Masuku, Thulani Mbentse
The analytical laboratory continues to be an important asset for both the ICFR and our sponsors. The total number of samples processed during 2003 exceeded 2000 which translates to 19 000 individual analyses.
Page 10 Annual Research Review 2003 We have continued to build partnerships with the Sugar Milling Research Institute laboratories, Cedara Agricultural laboratories and Umgeni Water laboratories to include their expertise and equipment in the analysis of our samples.
Regarding the quality assurance programme, we continue to calibrate our biomass analyses against the International Plant Exchange Programme at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands. For the soil samples, we have joined the AGRILASA Soil Exchange Programme giving the ICFR access to an invaluable collection of key South African soils for calibrating techniques.
University of Natal Forestry Programme A new building that will house the forestry programme at the University of Natal is being constructed adjacent to the ICFR building in Pietermaritzburg. This will be completed in January 2004 and the programme will relocate from the ICFR building in early February 2004. After five years of hosting the forestry programme at the ICFR, we look forward to continued interaction and collaboration.
Through the merger of the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville in 2004, a new institution, the University of KwaZulu- Natal, will be established.
Acknowledgements The Institute for Commercial Forestry Research operates in a partnership with the South African forestry industry and relies on involvement by the industry at all levels. This review provides an opportunity to thank a number of people and organisations for their support to the ICFR:
• The members of the ICFR (Central Timber Co-operative, Forestry South Africa, Global Forest Products, Komatiland Forests, Masonite Africa, Mondi Forests, Mimosa Central Co-operative, NCT Forestry Co-operative, Northern Timbers, Sappi Forests, Sappi Usutu, Singisi Forest Products, SiyaQhubeka Forests, TWK Agriculture Ltd). • Our chairmen: Dr Niko Stutterheim, out-going chairman of the Board of Control and Prof. Charles Breen, current chairman of the Board of Control. • The members of the Board of Control, for your guidance and wisdom in ensuring the health of the ICFR. • Forestry South Africa, especially Mr Mike Edwards for your support. • The members of the steering committees. • The members of the interest groups. • Mr André Wagenaar, outgoing Board of Control member for Sappi Forests. • Welcome to Mr Dinga Mncube who will represent Sappi Forests on the Board of Control. • Welcome to Mr Siggie von Fintel (TWK Agriculture Ltd) and Mr Edwin Schramm (Central Timber Co-operative) as new members of the Board of Control.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 11 Most importantly, thank you to the staff at the ICFR. We have taken the ICFR to new heights and this could only have been accomplished through your commitment and dedication. I know your efforts are much appreciated by the industry we serve.
Prof. Colin Dyer Director
Page 12 Annual Research Review 2003 Outputs
ICFR Reports Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003. Impacts of fertiliser applied genetic, physiological and silvicultural determinants of at second thinning on basal area growth of Pinus patula growth. ICFR Bulletin Series 02/2003, Pietermaritzburg, in the Mpumalanga area. ICFR Bulletin Series 18/2003, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Esprey L J and Sands P J. 2003. Parameterisation of 3-PG for Eucalyptus grandis plantations in the summer rainfall Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003. Updated recommendations areas of South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 23/2003, for fertilisation of pine species in the summer rainfall Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry region of southern Africa. ICFR Innovations 01/2003, Research. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Esprey L J. 2003. A review of process-based forest plantation models and the selection of a model suiting the Campion J C, Esprey L J and du Toit B. 2003. Graduate requirements of the Innovation Fund Project. Report to course on “Measuring and modelling carbon pools and the Innovation Fund, NRF/DACST. fluxes in forest ecosystems”. A report on the SLU/Wits postgraduate course held in Vindeln, Sweden, 13th-25th Gardner R A W, Swain T-L and Norris C H. 2003. Eucalypt July 2003. ICFR Bulletin Series 19/2003, species and provenance trials in the southern Cape: Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Results at four years of age. ICFR Bulletin Series 11/ Research. 2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Chiappero C and Swain T-L. 2003. Results of floral stimulant pilot trials in Eucalyptus nitens. ICFR Bulletin Series 09/ Ghebremicael S, Ahmed F and Smith C W. 2003. Estimating 2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial the leaf area index (LAI) of Black Wattle (Acacia Forestry Research. mearnsii) from Landsat 7 Satellite imagery. ICFR Bulletin Series 07/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Dovey S B, du Toit B and Smith C W. 2003. Allometry and Commercial Forestry Research. biomass of Acacia mearnsii across four ages and three sites in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. ICFR Bulletin Series Hagedorn S F and Dunlop R W. 2003. Status report on the 17/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial new black wattle breeding strategy. ICFR Internal Report, Forestry Research. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Dovey S B and du Toit B. 2003. A general review of allometry, biomass and nutritional sustainability of Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. 2003. Proposals Acacia mearnsii. ICFR Bulletin Series 16/2003, for core and direclty funded research projects at the Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry ICFR for 2004. ICFR Bulletin Series 10/2003, Research. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. du Toit B and Drew D. 2003. Effects of fertilising eucalypt hybrids in coastal Zululand at time of planting on wood Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. 2003. Summary density, screened pulp yield and fibre gain. ICFR Bulletin of ICFR peer-reviewed publications for 2003. ICFR Series 21/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Bulletin Series 24/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Commercial Forestry Research. du Toit B and Oscroft D. 2003. Volume response of six-year- Job R A, Esprey L J and du Toit B. 2003. Estimating selected old eucalypt hybrids to fertilisation on the Zululand coastal input parameters for 3-PG using above-ground biomass plain. ICFR Bulletin Series 21/2003, Pietermaritzburg, data collected from an age series of Eucalyptus grandis Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 15/ 2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial du Toit B, Fuller G M, Campion J C, McNamara L and du Forestry Research. Plessis M. 2003. Proceedings of the workshop: Slash management and slash burning in South African forests: Little K M. 2003. Report on the Fourth International Issues and research needs. ICFR Bulletin Series 08/2003, Conference on Forest Vegetation Management 17th - 21st Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry June 2003, Nancy, France. ICFR Bulletin Series 01/2003, Research. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Dunlop R W. 2003. An update on the cuttings versus seedlings trials. ICFR Internal Report, Pietermaritzburg, Little K M, Rolando C A and Lotter W D. 2003. Removal of Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. exotic woody vegetation from a riparian area: Results from a short-term management trial. ICFR Bulletin Series Esprey L and Campion J C. 2003. International Conference 05/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial on eucalypt productivity: A synthesis of the environmental, Forestry Research.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 13 McCarten S A. 2003. Micropropagation of Eucalyptus Papers in Peer-reviewed Journals macarthurii – final report. ICFR Internal Report, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Papers published Research. Beck S L, Dunlop R W and Fossey A. 2002. Evaluation of induced polyploidy in Acacia mearnsii through stomatal Rolando C A. 2003 Perspectives on forestry and research in counts and guard cell measurements. South African the South Eastern USA: Report on a trip to various Journal of Botany 69 (4):563-567. research and commercial organisations in Louisiana, th nd Alabama and Georgia, USA, 7 -22 July 2003. ICFR Beck S L, Dunlop R W and Fossey A. 2003. Stomatal length Bulletin Series 12/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for and frequency as a measure of ploidy level in black Commercial Forestry Research. wattle, Acacia mearnsii (de Wild). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 141:177-181. Rolando C A, Little K M, du Toit B and Smith C. 2003. The effect of site preparation and vegetation control on survival, Beck S L, Fossey A and Mathura S. 2003. Ploidy growth and nutrition during Pinus patula re-establishment. determination of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) using ICFR Bulletin Series 04/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute stomatal chloroplast counts. Southern African Forestry for Commercial Forestry Research. Journal 198:79-82.
Rolando C A, Viero P W M and Little K M. 2003. du Toit B. 2003. Effects of site management operations on Ecophysiological Regeneration Research: Project the nutrient capital of a eucalypt plantation system in Proposal and Plan 2003 – 2008 (and beyond). ICFR South Africa. Southern African Forestry Journal 199:15- Bulletin Series, 20/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for 26. Commercial Forestry Research.
Dunlop R W, Barnes R A, Hagedorn S F and Nixon K M. Smith C W and Dye P J. 2003. Report on a user requirement 2003. A breeding strategy for Acacia mearnsii (black survey for the Innovation Fund Project, “A new decision wattle) in South Africa. Southern African Forestry Journal support software tool for tree growers and water 199:55-64. resource managers: Harnessing physiological information to improve productivity and water use assessment of forest plantations.” Report to the Esprey L J, Sands P J and Smith C W. 2003. Understanding Innovation Fund, NRF/DACST. 3-PG using a sensitivity analysis. Forest Ecology and Management (in press). Smith C W. 2003. Harvesting impacts and sustainability: Report on the workshop held on 18th August 2003. ICFR Little K M 2003. Killing Eucalyptus grandis cut stumps after Bulletin Series 13/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for multiple coppice rotations. Southern African Forestry Commercial Forestry Research. Journal 199:1-7.
Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. A summary of current Little K M and du Toit B. 2003. Investigations into Eucalyptus knowledge of cold tolerant eucalypt species (CTE’s) grandis coppice regeneration of seedling parent stock grown in South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 03/2003, in Zululand, South Africa. Australian Forestry 66(2):108- Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry 112. Research. Little K M and Gardner R A W. 2003. Coppicing ability of 20 Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. Cold Tolerant Eucalypt Eucalyptus species grown at two high altitude sites in Species – a summary of information for site-species South Africa. Canadian Journal of Forest Research matching and optimum growth. ICFR Innovations 03/ 33:181-189. 2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Little K M and van Staden J. 2003. Interspecific competition affects early growth of a Eucalyptus Swain T-L and Oscroft D. 2003. First year height grandis x E. camaldulensis hybrid clone in Zululand, measurements of Eucalyptus henryi and E. longirostrata South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 69 (in provenance trials in Zululand. ICFR Bulletin Series 06/ press). 2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Little K M, Schumann A W and Noble A D. 2002. Performance of a Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis hybrid clone Viero P W M and Little K M. 2003. Influence of a hydrogel on as influenced by a cowpea cover-crop. Forest Ecology initial eucalypt growth and root development: Results from and Management 168:43-52. a pot trial. ICFR Bulletin Series 14/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Little K M, van Staden J and Clarke G P Y. 2003. Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis variability and intra- genotypic competition as a function of different Papers in Conference Proceedings vegetation management treatments. New Forests du Toit B, Dovey S B, Fuller G M and Job R A. 2003. Effects 25:227-242. of harvesting and site management on nutrient pools and stand growth in a South African eucalypt plantation. Little K M, van Staden J and Clarke G P Y. 2003. The Proceedings of the Vth Workshop: “Site Management and relationship between vegetation management and the Productivity in Tropical Plantation Forests”, Guangdong, wood and pulping properties of a Eucalyptus hybrid China, 24th - 28th February. (in press) clone. Annals of Forest Science 60:1-8.
Page 14 Annual Research Review 2003 Rolando C A and Allen R A. 2003. Survival and growth of Job A J. 2003. Estimating selected input parameters for 3- Pinus patula at two years in response to residue and PG using above ground biomass data collected from an pest management. Southern African Forestry Journal. age series ofEucalyptus grandis in KwaZulu-Natal, South (in press). Africa. MTech, PE Technikon.
Rolando C A and Little K M. 2003. Using chlorophyll Mathura S. 2003. Determination of ploidy levels in Acacia fluorescence to determine stress in Eucalyptus grandis mearnsii (De Wild) using stomatal-chloroplast counts seedlings. Southern African Forestry Journal 197:5-12. and spectrophotometric analysis of chlorophyll. MSc, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Smith C W. 2003. Does soil compaction on harvesting roads affect long-term productivity of Eucalyptus plantations Naguran R. 2003. RAPD fingerprinting of Acacia mearnsii in Zululand, South Africa? Southern African Journal of (black wattle) full and half sib progenies. MSc, University Forestry 199:41-54. of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. van den Berg G and Little K M. 2003. Effect of rainfall and Ross T. 2003. Slash load prediction and characterisation for under-canopy vegetation on the ability to debark the development of a fuel model and photo series for P. Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis when felled in patula in South Africa. MSc, University of Stellenbosch. Zululand, South Africa. Southern African Forestry Journal (in press). van den Berg G J. 2003. The impact of regeneration methods, silviculture intensity and genetic improvement Papers submitted on the performance of E. nitens and E. macarthurii. MSc, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Campion J C and Scholes M C. 2003. Foliar nutrient dynamics of Eucalyptus grandis, as influenced by irrigation and fertilisation. (submitted for publication). Doctoral degrees Campion J C. 2003. The influence of irrigation and Dovey S B and du Toit B. 2003. Calibration of LAI-2000 fertilisation on the growth of Eucalyptus grandis. PhD, canopy analyser with leaf area index in a young eucalypt University of Witwatersrand. stand. (submitted for publication). du Toit B. 2003. The effect of intensive site management du Toit B and Dovey S B. 2003. Effect of site management on the nutrient dynamics and productivity of a Eucalyptus on leaf area, biomass development and stand growth grandis stand in South Africa. PhD, University of efficiency of a young stand of Eucalyptus grandis in South Witwatersrand. Africa. (submitted for publication). Esprey L J. 2003. Using a process-based model to predict Gardner R A W and Bertling I. 2003. Effect of winter chilling growth and yield of E. grandis plantations in the summer on floral bud production in Eucalyptus nitens in South rainfall region of South Africa. PhD, University of Natal, Africa. (submitted to Canadian Journal Forestry Pietermaritzburg. Research). Rietz D. 2003. Assessing soil quality as a measure of sustainable forest management practices. PhD, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Post-graduate Projects Masters degrees Dovey S B. 2003. Above-ground allometry, biomass and Workshops and Presentations nutrient content of Acacia mearnsii across four ages and three sites in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. MSc, Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003. Update on fertiliser University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. recommendations for pines in the summer rainfall area. ICFR field day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May. Dunlop R W. 2003. Non-destructive screening of pulp yield of Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) in South Africa using NIR Dovey S B and du Toit B. 2003. Comparison of LAI-2000 spectroscopy. MSc, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. and leaf area index calibrations at three ages in a young eucalypt stand: Paper presented at Vth Workshop: “Site Fuller G M. 2003. Above and below ground differences Management and Productivity in Tropical Plantation th th between Eucalyptus grandis cuttings and seedlings of Forests”, Guangdong, China, 24 – 28 February. the same genetic source: results from a process based field trial situated in the Zululand costal belt, South du Toit B, Dovey S B, Fuller G M and Job R A. 2003. Do we Africa. MTech, PE Technikon. farm eucalypts on a sustainable basis? ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th Gardner R A W. 2003. Floral induction in Eucalyptus nitens October. (Deane & Maiden) Maiden in South Africa. MSc, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. (completed). du Toit B, Dovey S B, Fuller G M and Job R A. 2003. Some effects of site management on nutrient pools and stand Ghebremicael S. 2003. Estimating the leaf area index (LAI) growth in a South African eucalypt plantation: Paper of Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) from Landsat 7 Satellite presented at Vth Workshop: “Site Management and imagery. MSc, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Productivity in Tropical Plantation Forests”, Guangdong, (completed cum laude). China, 24th – 28th February.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 15 du Toit B. 2003. Fire intensity and nutrient dynamics: Little K M. 2003. Competitive interactions between grasses Implications for management and research. SAIF or broadleaves on early Pinus greggii growth: Symposium, Nelspruit, 28th May. Mechanisms of interference. ICFR Mpumalanga Interest Group Field Day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May. du Toit B. 2003. Fertilising eucalypt hybrids in Zululand for maximum fibre gain. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Little K M. 2003. Coppicing of eucalypts – an introduction Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 7th August. and overview of past and present research. NECF Coppicing Field Day, Ugie, North East Cape, 7th April. Dunlop R W. 2003. What do we know about wattle wood? ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day. Eston, KwaZulu- Little K M. 2003. Coppicing potential of Eucalyptus nitens: Natal, 8th October. Results from a field survey. NECF Coppicing Field Day, Ugie, North East Cape, 7th April.
Dyer C. 2003. Challenges: National policy and legislative issues. SAIF Symposium: “Challenges facing pine Little K M. 2003. The influence of various methods of growers”. Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 20th plantation residue management on weed and Acacia November. mearnsii growth. Mondi Wattle Burning Field Day, Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, 29th April.
Forest Site Classification Working Group, 2003. Assessing the productivity of important commercial plantation Little K M. 2003. Principles of vegetation management. GFP species in relation to a site classification based on Vegetation Management Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, th climate. ICFR, Pietermaritzburg, 13th August. 25 May.
Fuller G M. 2002. Above and below ground differences Little K M. 2003. Vegetation growth in burnt and un-burnt stands. SAIF Symposium: Slash Management – A Burning between E. grandis cuttings and seedlings from the same th genetic source. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Issue, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 28 May. Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Little K M. 2003. The response of a Eucalyptus hybrid clone to weed control and burning. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Gardner R A W. 2003. Drought tolerant Eucalypt species for Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 7th August. Zululand. ICFR Zululand Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th May. Little K M. 2003. Bridging the gap between research and commercial weeding operations. ICFR Midlands Interest Gardner R A W. 2003. 24-month growth and frost damage Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October. assessments in mid-altitude Eucalypt species trials, ICFR Midlands Interest Group field day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October. Oscroft D, Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. 1st year results of Eucalyptus henryi and E. longirostrata provenance trials. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Gardner R A W. 2003. Eucalyptus species options for the Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th May. Natal Midlands. NCT Field Day, Enon, KwaZulu-Natal, 6th November. Oscroft D. 2002. 12 month results from a 2nd rotation sustainability trial dealing with residue management and Gardner R A W. 2003. Eucalyptus species options for fertilisation. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, northern KwaZulu-Natal and south eastern Mpumalanga. Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. NCT Field Day, Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, 18th November.
Oscroft D. 2003. Plantation Forestry Sustainability Initiative. Little K M and Gardner R A W. 2003. Coppicing ability of 20 ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, Eucalyptus species grown at two high altitude sites in KwaZulu-Natal, 7th August. South Africa. Eucalypt Interest Group Field Day, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, 2nd April. Rietz D and Smith C W. 2003. Assessing soil quality as a measure of sustainable forest management practices. Little K M and Gardner R A W. 2003. Coppicing ability of 20 ICFR/FESA Harvesting Impacts Workshop, Eucalyptus species grown at two high altitude sites in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 13th August. South Africa. NECF Coppicing Field Day, Ugie, North East Cape, 7th April. Rolando C A and Viero P W M. 2003 An ad hoc method for the monitoring of Fusarium circinatum in ICFR pine trials. Little K and Rolando C. 2002. Results from pine vegetation PFWG Meeting, Witriver, Mpumalanga, 12th August. management research. Re-establishment Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 8th October. Rolando C A, Little K M and Lotter W A. 2003. Management of woody weeds in non-afforested areas. GFP Vegetation Little K and Rolando C. 2002. Results from pine Management Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 25th May. vegetation management research. Re-establishment Workshop, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 11th October. Rolando C A. 2002. Ecophysiological Regeneration Research. Re- establishment Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 8th October. Little K M. 2002. Early results from an E. grandis weeding x cuttings/seedling trial. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Rolando C A. 2002. Ecophysiological Regeneration Research. Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th Re-establishment Workshop, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu- November. Natal, 11th October.
Page 16 Annual Research Review 2003 Rolando C A. 2002. Can chlorophyll fluorescence be used van den Berg G. 2002. Interaction between rainfall, under- to detect stress in E. grandis seedlings? ICFR Zululand canopy vegetation and the debarking of Eucalyptus Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, grandis x E. camaldulensis. ICFR Zululand Interest Group 26th November. Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Rolando C A. 2003. Regeneration Research at the ICFR. TPCP Annual Research Meeting, University of Pretoria, Viero P W M. 2002. Super-absorbents: An overview of past Gauteng, 12th March. and present research for the sandy and sandy clay loam soils of Zululand. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Rolando C A. 2003. The effect of site preparation and vegetation control during Pinus patula re-establishment on survival, growth and nutrition. ICFR Mpumalanga Viero P W M. 2003. Planting techniques. Mondi Field Day, Interest Group Field Day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May. Melmoth, Ntonjaneni Area, KwaZulu-Natal, 10th February.
Rolando C A. 2003. Sustainable Plantation forestry. ICFR Viero P W M. 2003. Overview of ICFR’s role in the PFWG. Workshop on Burning of Slash, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, Pine Fusarium Working Group Meeting, University of 29th May. Pretoria, Gauteng, 13th March.
Rolando C A. 2003. The South African Forestry Industry Viero P W M. 2003. Super-absorbents: An overview of past and Research at the ICFR. Talk presented on research and present research. Eucalypt Interest Group Field Day, visit to South Eastern USA: Southern Research Station, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, 2nd April. Ecology and Management of Even Aged Pine Forests, Pineville, Louisiana, 8th July. Viero P W M. 2003. An update on the Aqua-Soil trial series, with particular reference to the Zululand Sands. ICFR Rolando C A. 2003. The South African Forestry Industry Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, and Research at the ICFR. Talk presented on research KwaZulu-Natal, 8th May. visit to South Eastern USA: Southern Research Station, Forest Vegetation Management and Long-Leaf Pine Viero P W M. 2003 Overview on Pine Fusarium Working Research Unit, Auburn, Alabama, 14th July. Group. ICFR Mpumalanga Interest Group Field Day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May. Rolando C A. 2003 The South African Forestry Industry and Research at the ICFR. Talk presented on research visit Viero P W M. 2003. Supply and Apply. GFP Vegetation to South Eastern USA: School of Forestry, Auburn Management Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 25th May. University, Alabama, 15th July.
Viero P W M. 2003. Introduction to the eucalypt Rolando C A. 2003. Survival and growth of P. patula at two Ecophysiological Regeneration Programme. ICFR years in response to residue and pest management, in Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, Mpumalanga. ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day, KwaZulu-Natal, 7th August. Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October.
Viero P W M. 2003. Preliminary results from a Eucalyptus Ross T. 2003. Characterising of the forest floor and grandis seedling re-establishment trial. ICFR Midlands harvesting residue of pine stands in southern Africa. ICFR Interest Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th Workshop on Slash Management and Slash Burning, October. Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 29th May.
Smith C W. 2003. Harvesting impacts research: How far have we come? ICFR/FESA Harvesting Impacts Workshop, ICFR, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 13th August.
Smith C W. 2003. A long time ago in a forest far away. Harvesting impacts research: How far have we come and where to in the future? Mpumulanga Regional Field Day, Jessievale, Mpumalanga, 13th October.
Smith C W. 2003. An update on black wattle spacing trials. Wattle Interest Group meeting, Noodsburg Country Club, KwaZulu-Natal, 15th October.
Swain T-L and Carlson C. 2003. Do nutritional differences affect flowering in E. nitens? - results of a preliminary investigation. Seed Orchard Research Working Group Meeting, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October.
Swain T-L. 2003. Second generation Eucalyptus macarthurii trials. Eucalypt Interest Group Meeting ICFR Piet Retief Field Day, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, 2nd April.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 17 Eucalypt Tree Improvement The Team
Programme Manager: Tammy Swain Robin Gardner Colin Chiappero Christopher Komakech Alpheos Ntombela Robert Nkonde Patrick Thabethe Thulani Nsindane Assisted by: Denis Oscroft Blessing Mbentse Musa Mkhwanazi
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This programme deals with the development of improved material of various Eucalyptus species that have the potental to grow over a range of high and low productivity sites, the main aim being to produce improved seed, pollen and scions of these species.
Trials in this programme test provenances and progeny of Eucalyptus species which have the potential to grow on sites that are not optimal for the growth of E. grandis. These are established on a range of sites and are assessed for characteristics related to those site conditions, such as cold, frost and drought tolerance. Apart from the emphasis on selection for traditional characteristics such as improved growth, cold tolerance, and insect and disease resistance, there is now a strong focus on investigating the wood properties of the species, with selections undergoing analysis for pulp properties where possible. Breeding strategies are developed for each species such that gains are made effectively and timeously, and can be deployed commercially in as short a time as possible.
As one of the main outputs of the programme is to supply commercial quantities of continually improved seed to sponsors, establishment and management of both Breeding Seed Orchards (BSOs) and Clonal/ Grafted Seed Orchards (CSOs) is of utmost importance. However, there are several problems relating to the flowering and subsequent seed production of several of the species in the programme, particularly the
Page 18 Annual Research Review 2003 cold tolerant eucalypts (CTEs). Studies into the processes affecting flowering and seed production have therefore been initiated, and are of high priority in the programme.
The Eucalypt Tree Improvement programme comprises a number of projects, the majority of which include the development and management of strong breeding strategies for each of the species involved, to ensure that gains are made rapidly and effectively. During the past year, detailed investigations of the species Eucalyptus macarthurii, E. nitens and E. globulus have been done, and in addition, research on two sub-tropical eucalypt species in Zululand. Flowering research and seed production for a range of species is ongoing.
COLD TOLERANT EUCALYPTS
The sites available to the South African forestry industry for commercial afforestation of eucalypts for pulp and paper production are very diverse, and many, especially those at high altitudes, may be termed low productivity. To manage the various limiting factors in the more temperate areas, such as severe frost, low temperatures, occasional snow and drought and high altitude pests, it is important to correctly match species to site. This matching, with the use of genetically improved material where available, will assist in maximising yields in commercial plantations.
Most of the information on the CTEs has been gathered from the ICFR site-species interaction trials and provenance/progeny trials, the latter established in the respective breeding programmes. This information, together with general observations and experience, has been summarised, by species, into a comprehensive report by Swain and Gardner (2003) on most aspects affecting species growth. Species origins, preferred growing conditions, tolerance of environmental conditions and pests and diseases, as well as local provenance, pulping and seed production information are provided where possible. This Snow damaged E. smithii trees at Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal. information should make the siting of species on low productivity sites a more informed process, and will ultimately assist the forestry industry in achieving optimum growth and performance on all sites, with the least risk of crop failure.
TREE IMPROVEMENT IN EUCALYPTUS NITENS
Highlights 2003 » A proposal for the development of a comprehensive advanced generation breeding strategy for E. nitens was drawn up, taking into account the marked provenance differences in this species.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 19 TREE IMPROVEMENT IN EUCALYPTUS MACARTHURII
Advanced Generation Breeding Comprehensive sampling of eight-year-old 2nd generation E. macarthurii trials at two sites was undertaken during 2002. Final analyses of these measurements have been completed, looking at criteria such as yield, stem form, bark thickness and stripping, and pulping properties. Results show marked gains in the traits measured over the commercial control, although there were significant differences between the two sites. The gains included a decrease in bark thickness of over 20 %, an increase in ease of bark stripping by over 30 % on average, and an increase in diameter under bark of 7 to 20 %. There was an improvement in stem form of over 30 % on average, which will impact directly on transport costs. Correlations indicate that there is a strong positive relation between diameter under bark and height measurements at nine years of age, and that although bigger trees (in terms of diameter) have thicker bark, this bark is easier to strip than trees with thinner bark.
The pulp sampling showed that the screened pulp yield (SPY) differed significantly across the two sites, with an average SPY of 47.05 % at Pinewoods (range of 45.64 to 48.56 %) and an average SPY of 48.13 % at Vlakkloof (range of 46.15 to 49.95 %). The time to reach an average Kappa number of 19 was, on average, less than 40 minutes, which is far less than was required in previous pulping studies with unimproved E. macarthurii. (Sefara et al., 2002).
Micropropagation of E. macarthurii One of the aims of the Eucalypt breeding programmes is to establish clones of superior trees in CSOs. The selections are generally propagated using grafting, but there is a problem with scion-rootstock incompatibility in grafting of E. macarthurii. After several attempts to regraft certain selections that had failed consistently in the CSOs, it was decided to investigate cloning of E. macarthurii selections through micro- propagation (ICFR, 2002). A post-graduate project was initiated to develop a protocol for propagating small numbers of E. macarthurii clones, using coppice from three ICFR selections in the second generation BSOs. The interim results of this study were reported on in the previous ICFR Annual Research Review (ICFR, 2002).
During 2001, severe contamination problems occurred, probably due to the presence of endogenous and possibly symbiotic or mycorrhizal fungi. The frequency of contamination was clearly influenced by season,
Page 20 Annual Research Review 2003 genotype and plantation, and persisted despite testing twenty sterilisation protocols. Therefore, two additional sterilisation protocols were tested during 2002: • a systemic fungicide (benomyl) was included in the shoot initiation medium alone, or in combination with an antibiotic (cefotaxime). Percentage contamination, which ranged from 12.5 to 84 %, was significantly reduced by the addition of either and both of these chemicals to the medium. Although some explants produced callus, most turned brown, possibly due to over-sterilisation or adverse effects from the addition of benomyl and/or cefotaxime to the medium. • mercuric chloride was substituted with a quaternary ammonium compound, effective against bacteria and fungi, as well as being less toxic to plants and humans. Upon addition of the compound, the percentage contamination, which ranged from 53 to 86 %, was significantly influenced by genotype. A few Elongated axillary bud formation explants produced some callus and elongated axillary buds. on explants taken from E. (McCarten, 2003). macarthurii coppice material.
The high frequency of contamination and the low multiplication coefficients and rates have prevented the production of sufficient shoot explants for root initiation experiments in E. macarthurii, intended as the main focus of this study. Therefore, it has been suggested that greenhouse-grown material be substituted for field- grown material, in an attempt to reduce contamination. Thus interactions between the frequency of contamination, genotypes, seasons and locations, which have further complicated the choice of a suitable year-round sterilisation protocol, may also be eliminated. This would enable the development of a ‘working’ micropropagation protocol under optimal conditions and a focus on the low multiplication coefficients and rates. The latter may be improved by modifying the shoot initiation medium, which will also reduce the frequency of culture-induced phenotypes with abnormal shoots. When sufficient shoots have been produced, an investigation of the factors influencing the variable rooting ability of the genotypes should be undertaken. Once a micropropagation protocol has been developed for optimal conditions, further fine-tuning will be required for field-grown material. This will have to include the routine spraying of trees with fungicides and insecticides for several weeks prior to the collection of the material to reduce the population of endogenous fungi. (McCarten, 2003).
TREE IMPROVEMENT IN EUCALYPTUS DUNNII
Highlights 2003 » Seed was collected from individual families in two E. dunnii BSOs, and this seed will be used to establish the 2nd generation progeny trials of this species in 2004.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 21 TREE IMPROVEMENT IN EUCALYPTUS SMITHII
Highlights 2003 » Final seed collections were carried out for establishment of the 2nd generation; and the 2nd generation trials and BSOs were established at the end of 2003. This is a major achievement, as it has been extremely difficult to collect seed for the 2nd generation of this species.
TREE IMPROVEMENT IN NEW AND MINOR SPECIES
Eucalyptus nitens and Eucalyptus globulus The southern Cape has a long history of sawtimber-based industry, but high interest rates and rising costs have made short-rotation forestry for pulp more attractive and viable in the region. Four trials were established during 1998 to investigate the comparative performances of a select range of eucalypt species and provenances, details of which can be found in Gardner et al. (2003). These comprised two site- species interaction trials and two E. globulus /E. nitens provenance trials. The site-species interaction trials consisted of 12 eucalypt species and a range of eucalypt hybrids (inter-specific clones and seedlings), and the provenance trials of eight E. globulus ssp. globulus provenances, three E. nitens provenances, and two provenances each of E. globulus ssp. maidenii and ssp. bicostata.
Diameter at breast height (dbh) measurements were recorded at 51 months and basal areas calculated (Table 1). Analyses of the provenance trials showed that the E. nitens provenances of Badja and Tallaganda performed exceptionally well in both trials, and were comparable with the overall top performers in the species trial at the Jonkersberg low productivity site (SGE39), namely one E. saligna x urophylla hybrid, one E. grandis x nitens hybrid, and two E. grandis seedlots (Gardner et al., 2003).
Two of the E. globulus provenances, Otway NP and Huonville performed very well at the low productivity (Jonkersberg) site. One should be wary, however, of infection by Mycosphaerella leaf fungus in this species. The Mount Erica provenance of E. nitens was the worst performer in both provenance trials, and at this stage, this provenance, as well as the E. globulus Yarram, E. bicostata Nullo Mountain and E. maidenii Myrtle Mountain provenances, are not recommended for commercial planting in the southern Cape. Due to the exceptional pulping properties of E. globulus however, certain provenances of this species may still be the most viable eucalypt species for commercial pulpwood planting in the region.
The trials in the southern Cape are providing additional useful information on the Eucalyptus species and provenances currently planted for pulpwood production in the summer rainfall region. Results
Page 22 Annual Research Review 2003 Jonkersberg (shallow site) Woodifield (deep site) Provenance Basal areas Provenance Basal areas (m2ha-1) (m2ha-1) E. nitens Ebor, NSW 13.37a E. nitens Badja, NSW 20.45a E. globulus Otway NP, VIC 12.99ab E. nitens Tallaganda, NSW 15.93ab E. nitens Tallaganda, NSW 11.38ab E. globulus Huonville, TAS 14.53 bc E. nitens Badja, NSW 11.04ab E. globulus Otway NP, VIC 13.97 bc E. maidenii Bolaro Mt, NSW 10.14abc E. bicostata Narrow Neck R, NSW 12.83 bcd E. globulus Flinders Island, TAS 9.89abc E. globulus Kings Island, TAS 11.81 cde E. globulus Coles Bay, TAS 8.51abcd E. nitens Ebor, NSW 11.76 cde E. globulus Huonville, TAS 8.20abcd E. maidenii Bolaro Mt, NSW 10.16 cdef E. globulus Kings Island, TAS 6.34abcd E. globulus Coles Bay, TAS 9.22 defg E. globulus Triabunna, TAS 5.90 bcde E. globulus Moogara, TAS 8.92 defg E. bicostata Narrow Neck R, NSW 5.85 bcde E. globulus Triabunna, TAS 7.71 efg E. globulus Yarram, VIC 5.70 cde E. globulus Flinders Island, TAS 7.38 efg E. globulus Moogara, TAS 5.52 de E. globulus Yarram, VIC 6.47 fg E. bicostata Nullo Mtn, NSW 3.45 e E. maidenii Myrtle Mtn, NSW 6.43 fg E. maidenii Myrtle Mtn, NSW 2.50 ef E. bicostata Nullo Mtn, NSW 5.27 g E. nitens Mt Erica, VIC 0.87 f E. nitens Mt Erica, VIC 1.55 h
Mean 7.60 10.27 LSD (p=0.05) 4.720 3.421 (NSW – New South Wales; VIC - Victoria; TAS - Tasmania)
Table 1. Basal areas (m2ha-1) at 51 months for provenances at Woodifield and Jonkersberg in the Southern Cape.
will contribute towards the development of a comprehensive understanding of the environmental limitations of current commercial and potential alternative eucalypt species in South Africa.
Other Highlights 2003 » Final measurements and analyses of the first E. badjensis trial series have been completed, indicating that this species has potential as a commercial forestry species in the cold, high altitude sites of South Africa.
» Sixty-four month measurements of the E. nobilis trial series have been completed, and will be reported on. These measurements illustrate provenance and family trends in mature trees.
ZULULAND SPECIES – EUCALYPTUS HENRYI AND E. LONGIROSTRATA
The two sub-tropical species, E. henryi and E. longirostrata (formerly E. punctata var longirostrata) have both performed well in ICFR site-species interaction trials and are presently being investigated as alternative eucalypt species for growth on the coastal plain. Provenance/progeny trials of these two species were established at two sites on the Zululand sands, and at one inland site (Melmoth). Comprehensive site details and information on seedlot origin can be found in Swain and Oscroft (2003). First year height measurements and survival assessments were undertaken in 2002. Analyses show that provenance differences exist for height at this
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 23 early measurement, with the Ewingar provenance of E. henryi being the top performer at all three sites, and Myrtle Creek B and Braemar performing poorly at Salpine. With regard to E. longirostrata, the Barakula provenance was significantly better than the Mt Moffat provenance on the Zululand sands.
Both E. henryi and E. longirostrata performed better at the high productivity site of Salpine (Kwambonambi) than at Nyalazi, further north. The top families of both species performed better than the E. grandis controls at both sites on the Zululand sands. These early results confirm the high potential of these two new species as viable alternatives to E. grandis and its inter-specific hybrids for a range of sites on the Zululand coastal plain. Selection and breeding of the two species will improve yields, and possibilities exist for E. longirostrata to be used as a hybrid parent (E. henryi falls into a different taxonomic group and will not hybridise with E. grandis, E. urophylla, etc). Eucalyptus henryi at 22 months with (inset) At 12 months, E. henryi produced slightly better growth distinct large broad leaves. than E. longirostrata at both sites on the coastal plain. (Swain and Oscroft, 2003).
FLOWERING RESEARCH AND SEED PRODUCTION
The main aim of the Tree Improvement programme is to produce improved seed of the species under investigation. This is essential, not only for turnover of generations and continued improvement in a species within a breeding programme, but also for commercial deployment, where gains can actually be realised. To this end, seed collections are carried out regularly in ICFR breeding (BSO) and clonal (CSO) seed orchards. However, the shy flowering and lengthy seed bearing of species such as E. nitens, E. smithii and E. badjensis is delaying the production of improved seed.
It is therefore essential to investigate the flowering processes and those factors which may influence flowering in the CTE species, as this will ultimately affect seed production. It is anticipated that research initiated into these areas will be applicable to a whole range of species, and will ultimately enhance seed production in the forestry industry.
Flowering Research Alternatives to paclobutrazol Paclobutrazol is a growth retardant which initiates flowering at an early age, to varying degrees, in certain eucalypt species. It is regularly used in BSOs and CSOs of the shy flowering CTE species in an attempt to hasten flowering. However, the use of this chemical may be limited by certification regulations in the future, and the chemical is prohibitively expensive. Therefore a pilot trial was run by the ICFR to investigate
Page 24 Annual Research Review 2003 alternative chemicals or plant growth regulators which, in combination with temperature, may trigger and increase flowering in E. nitens. Treatments investigated were foliar applications and stem injections of two Paclobutrazol treatments, Daminozide, two Gibberellic acid
treatments (GA3 and GA4), Tri-iodobenzoic acid (TIBA), Chlormequat chloride and Ethylene. Stem injections were applied at two different dosages and in two different seasons.
Results indicate that the control treatment of a soil drench of Paclobutrazol is more effective than foliar sprays of other chemicals. Stem injections of chemicals appear to be more practical and effective than foliar sprays. With regard to stem injections, low doses of Paclobutrazol and Ethylene, both applied in spring, and of TIBA, applied in autumn, should be investigated further, as should high doses of Chlormequat chloride applied in autumn. Dosages of Daminozide,
applied in spring, and low and high dosages of GA4 and GA3 respectively, applied in autumn, also warrant further investigation. (Chiappero and Swain, 2003). To summarise, time of application of all these chemicals needs to be further explored, and the window of application needs to be broadened to include times other than spring and autumn.
Floral Induction in Eucalyptus nitens Eucalyptus nitens is renowned for its natural tendency towards sparse flower and seed crops, but in South Africa, inconsistent and low floral bud production is an additional problem. Although Paclobutrazol application can significantly alleviate sparse flowering in the shy flowering CTEs, a period of cold remains a prerequisite for floral induction in temperate eucalypts such as E. nitens, E. smithii and E. badjensis.
An MSc project, initiated in 1999 to investigate the nature of cold implicated in the E. nitens floral induction process, was completed during October 2003. The main outcome of the project was a partial characterisation of the cold requirement needed by E. nitens for floral induction. The derived “cold unit” parameters are the first significant step towards the development of an environmental model for the prediction and manipulation of E. nitens flowering and seed production in South Africa. The MSc project provides interim recommendations of the temperatures required for the enhancement of floral bud production in local E. nitens seed orchards, and provides pointers for future research in the particular field of eucalypt floral biology (Gardner, 2003).
Further research is needed before actual spatial mapping of E. nitens floral and seed productivity can be achieved on an acceptably accurate level. A new trial series, planned for establishment during January/ February 2004, aims to E. nitens seedlings and grafts in a controlled further narrow and define the cold units required to achieve environment growth room. this goal.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 25 Seed Production Seed collections were carried out in the following seed orchards during 2003: • bulk and individual tree collection of E. dunnii at Kia Ora BSO (E90/01 series), - for establishment of the second generation trial series, inclusion in sponsor breeding programmes and commercial deployment; • individual tree collection of E. dunnii at Vlakkloof BSO (E90/02 series), - for establishment of the second generation trial series (this was fortuitous, as the seed orchard burnt down two weeks after the seed collection); • bulk seed collection of E. dunnii at Piet Retief PSO (Production Seed Orchard) and CSO, - for commercial deployment; • individual tree collections of E. nitens at Jessievale and Jaglust BSOs, - for establishment of further E. nitens second generation trials, inclusion in sponsor breeding programmes and commercial deployment; and • bulk seed and individual tree pollen collections of E. macarthurii at Jaglust BSO, - seed for commercial deployment, and pollen for sponsor company breeding programme.
Other Highlights 2003 » An MSc has been awarded to Robin Gardner for his research on floral induction in Eucalyptus nitens (Deane & Maiden) Maiden in South Africa.
» A potted trial to further investigate alternative chemicals to paclobutrazol has been established.
OUTPUTS
Reports and Papers Chiappero C and Swain T-L. 2003. Results of floral stimulant pilot trials in Eucalyptus nitens. ICFR Bulletin Series 09/2003. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Gardner R A W, Swain T-L and Norris C. 2003. Eucalypt species and provenance trials in the southern Cape: Results at four years of age. ICFR Bulletin Series 11/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Gardner R A W and Bertling I. 2003. Effect of winter chilling on floral bud production in Eucalyptus nitens in South Africa. Submitted to Canadian Journal Forestry Research. Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. A summary of current knowledge of cold tolerant eucalypt species (CTE’s) grown in South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 03/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. McCarten S A. 2003. Micropropagation of Eucalyptus macarthurii – final report. ICFR Internal Report, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. Cold Tolerant Eucalypt Species – a summary of information for site-species matching and optimum
Page 26 Annual Research Review 2003 growth. ICFR Innovations 03/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Swain T-L and Oscroft D. 2003. First year height measurements of Eucalyptus henryi and E. longirostrata provenance trials in Zululand. ICFR Bulletin Series 06/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Workshops and Presentations Gardner R A W. 2003. Eucalyptus species options for the Natal Midlands. NCT Field Day, Enon, KwaZulu-Natal, 6th November. Gardner R A W. 2003. Eucalyptus species options for northern KwaZulu- Natal and south eastern Mpumalanga. NCT Field Day, Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, 18th November. Oscroft D, Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. 1st year results of Eucalyptus henryi and E. longirostrata provenance trials. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th May. Swain T-L. 2003. Second generation Eucalyptus macarthurii trials. Eucalypt Interest Group Meeting ICFR Piet Retief Field Day, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, 2nd April. Swain T-L and Carlson C. 2003. Do nutritional differences affect flowering in E. nitens? - results of a preliminary investigation. Seed Orchard Research Working Group Meeting, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October.
REFERENCES
Chiappero C and Swain T-L. 2003. Results of floral stimulant pilot trials in Eucalyptus nitens. ICFR Bulletin Series 09/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Gardner R A W. 2003. Floral induction in Eucalyptus nitens (Deane & Maiden) Maiden in South Africa. MSc, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Gardner R A W, Swain T-L and Norris, C. 2003. Eucalypt species and provenance trials in the southern Cape: Results at four years of age. ICFR Bulletin Series 11/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. ICFR. 2002. Institute for Commercial Forestry Research Annual Research Review 2002. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. pp 15-22. McCarten S A. 2003 Micropropagation of Eucalyptus macarthurii – final report. ICFR Internal Report, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Sefara N l, Andrew J E and Turner P. 2002. Development of a near- infrared (NIR) calibration model to predict pulp yield of Eucalyptus macarthurii species. ICFR Internal Report, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. A summary of current knowledge of cold tolerant eucalypt species (CTE’s) grown in South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 03/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Swain T-L and Oscroft D. 2003. First year height measurements of Eucalyptus henryi and E. longirostrata provenance trials in Zululand. ICFR Bulletin Series 06/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 27 ACACIA RESEARCH The Tree Improvement Team Programme Manager: Rob Dunlop Dr Sascha Beck Sieg Hagedorn Tim Goodricke Darren de Leur (resigned March 2003) Thulani Nsindane
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) plantations make up about 8.3 % of the total area under commercial forestry plantations in South Africa (FSA, 2002). Although this is not a major percentage of the area, the fact that black wattle produces two crops, namely its timber and bark, increases its relative value to the forestry industry. The primary objective of this programme is to co-ordinate a multi-disciplinary research effort focussed on improving the quality and quantity of Acacia timber and A. mearnsii bark in South Africa. This is achieved by aligning research initiatives in tree improvement and silvicultural research towards a common goal.
The Acacia Tree Improvement programme uses Typical black wattle “plus tree” selected for inclusion in classical and other breeding methods to the breeding programme. continually improve the quality of the Acacia germplasm, and to make this available to Acacia growers. This has been achieved through successive selection of superior parent trees from results of an ongoing series of progeny tests. These superior parent trees have been used in the establishment of Production Seedling Orchards (PSOs) that supply the Industry with improved seed. A new breeding and production strategy has been developed, and implemented, for black wattle in South Africa. This strategy should ensure the continued improvement of the species and supply of improved seed to the growers for the foreseeable future.
Acacia silvicultural projects focus on supplying growers with appropriate information pertaining to nutrition, weeding and thinning regimes, to enable best deployment of the available germplasm. This is achieved by disseminating information gained from establishing and monitoring experiments investigating the effects of various silvicultural treatments and natural phenomena on the growth of black wattle. Treatments include various spacing, vegetation management and fertiliser regimes. Growth and yield modelling to predict the potential productivity of black wattle on a range of site qualities is also under investigation, and the
Page 28 Annual Research Review 2003 effect of site and silvicultural operations and their interactions on wood and pulping properties is becoming an area of increasing importance. More detail pertaining to the relevant silvicultural research can be found under the appropriate sections of this report.
The three Tree Improvement projects, namely Acacia Breeding, Sterile Wattle and Species Testing, together with their outputs, are discussed below.
ACACIA BREEDING
The ICFR’s sponsor organisations rely solely on the Institute for the improvement of Acacia mearnsii, and the PSOs established by the ICFR are the only source of improved A. mearnsii seed in South Africa. The recent shift in focus from bark yield to timber yield has presented an opportunity to select for new criteria, such as pulp yield, and make new improvements in the quality of the germplasm supplied to the wattle industry. This project encompasses all facets of tree improvement, using classical methods and vegetative propagation to achieve its goals. The first of these is: • To supply the wattle growing industry with improved germplasm (seed)
At present this is achieved by classical tree breeding methods, although in time, vegetative propagation of black wattle may become an important component of the breeding strategy.
Black wattle harvesting, yielding both timber and bark. The past few years has seen the establishment of new production seed orchards on sites other than Bloemendal. These orchards will become productive within the next year or two and will replace the older orchards as the future source of improved seed. The establishment of these orchards on different sites also safeguards against the possible total destruction of the seed-supplying capabilities of this programme, e.g. in the event of a fire at Bloemendal.
To remain relevant, forest tree breeding programmes have to adapt as the markets for the end product of the programme change. Historically, the call for a breeding programme for black wattle was primarily to increase bark quality and yield, which is processed to produce high quality vegetable tannin. The tannin is used in the leather tanning industry, both locally and internationally. This demand for genetically improved seed resulted in the establishment of PSOs designed to bring superior selected genotypes together in a random mating system, to produce unrelated progeny with desirable characteristics, such as disease resistance, improved bark quality, improved bark yield and straighter stems.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 29 The recent increase in the use of black wattle timber in local and international pulp mills has shifted the emphasis in the breeding programme at the ICFR. A higher priority is now placed on improving the timber yield and quality while maintaining high bark yield and quality. The ability to extend the range of the species into colder areas is also important.
Highlights 2003 » A structured breeding and production strategy has been developed to consolidate the work that has been done in the past and to continue the improvement in the future. The strategy is multi- functional and will: • assess the gain that has been made in the breeding programme to date; • exploit the potential of the improved genetic material that has been produced; • exploit the potential of selections in new provenances; and • modify the selection criteria and to ensure flexibility in the face of changes in future demands from the Industry.
» The five sub-populations designed to achieve these goals (ICFR, 2002) have been established in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands and will be managed intensively in future to maximise the gains possible from the strategy.
» During 2003, a draft plan, detailing the management and distribution of seed from all the new orchards established in the recent past, was developed. This plan deals with seed orchard tending, thinning and roguing of undesirable trees and families, seed collection and seed distribution and sales. This plan will be finalised in 2004.
The second main goal for the Acacia breeding programme is: • To continue research into the vegetative propagation of A. mearnsii.
The first rooted cuttings experiments with Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) took place at the Wattle Research Institute (WRI), now the ICFR, in 1952. Work in this area of research continued for many years but with little practical success. Various publications covering the progress of this research are available in the WRI/ICFR Annual Research Reports.
In 1997, a rooted cuttings project was started in conjunction with Sunshine Seedling Services. The project attempted to root cuttings taken from commercial seedlings growing in this nursery. As the material was only a few months old, the percentage rooting was very high, in some cases over 70 %. The next step was to attempt to root cuttings taken from various sources of material within the breeding programme, including taking material from other seedlings as well as from 18- month-old seed orchard trees from Bloemendal. Again a fair degree of success was achieved.
To date five field trials have been established to test the performance of the various families propagated via cuttings. These trials have two fundamental aims; firstly, to test the performance of the cuttings compared to seedlings, and secondly, to test for the possible loss of
Page 30 Annual Research Review 2003 vigour and rooting ability of the cuttings, as the hedges mature. These trials are measured on an annual basis and to date, many of the families are performing as well as the seedling families, but not necessary well enough to warrant a full-blown clonal programme being initiated at this stage.
Other activities during the past twelve months have included routine thinning and maintenance operations in young production seed orchards and other trials. A limited number of field day presentations were also carried out during the past year.
STERILE WATTLE
Although Acacia mearnsii is a leading commercially grown tree species in South Africa, it is also a classified invader of indigenous vegetation. The development of a seedless or sterile wattle variety would be beneficial to the Industry and the environment.
This project is investigating the viability of producing sterile or seedless black wattle trees. Two approaches are being explored; firstly gamma irradiation of seeds and seedlings, and secondly the production of a triploid variety of black wattle. The aim of the project is to ultimately guarantee that all the seed sold or distributed to growers will produce sterile or seedless trees, hence reducing the possible spread of black wattle from commercial plantations.
Diploid black wattle cell showing normal number and distribution of chloroplasts. Triploid Induction The triploid induction approach entails crossing diploids with chemically induced tetraploids, in an attempt to produce viable triploid seed, which can be grown commercially. Due to the uneven number of chromosomes present in the triploid, the trees will potentially be unable to undergo successful sexual reproduction, resulting in a reduced seed set and/or sterile trees.
Black wattle The first process under investigation has been to induce tetraploids using colchicine and oryzalin. This was achieved by treating chipped seed with 0.01 % colchicine for a period of six hours. In February 2002, a trial was established at Bloemendal (compartment 29a) where 400, six-month-old colchicine induced tetraploids were planted out in a 20 x 20 block, with a 3 x 2 m spacing. Prior to planting out, random stomatal length studies were conducted to confirm that the trees were true tetraploids and on average, there was a 91 % success rate of tetraploid induction. After eight months in the field, survival was high and the growth rate of the tetraploids appeared to be above normal when compared to diploids of the Tetraploid black wattle cell showing same age. First year height measurements were taken during increased number and evenly February 2003 and from the results the average height was 3.62 distributed chloroplasts. m with the smallest tree being 1.4 m in height and tallest tree 6.1
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 31 m. There was 89.5 % survival (10.5 % mortality) and the SE for height = 1.474. This high variation was visibly noticeable and is more than likely due to the presence of mixoploids. Height measurements from untreated seedlings of the same age, planted alongside the trial were taken for comparison. An average height of 4.36 m was recorded with a SE = 0.607. The differences noted between the untreated and colchicines-treated seedlings were significant (p<0.01), as was expected, since polyploids are generally stockier and more robust when compared to their diploid counterparts (Ness,1998). This trial will be monitored over time to determine the growth performance of colchicines-induced tetraploids in the field. They will also be monitored for flowering, whereon they will be control crossed with known diploids for triploid induction.
Subsequently a further tetraploid trial was planted out in Bloemendal last year. The trial contained seedlings from three diploid and three known tetraploid families (produced in the 1950’s), planted in six tree line plots replicated six times. This trial will be monitored for differences in growth performance and flowering.
Oryzalin, a pre-emergent herbicide, is also being tested as an alternative to colchicine for tetraploid induction, with the advantage of being both cheaper and safer to use. A range of concentrations and treatment times has been investigated. At this stage tetraploid induction appeared to be occurring at concentrations between 0.01 M and 0.03 M for a period of 20 minutes treatment time. These results are being retested for confirmation.
Green wattle The induction of triploidy into green wattle is also being investigated. Three families were tested and it appears treating seeds with 0.01 % colchicine for 24 or 12 hours resulted in tetraploid conversion and at the same time gave acceptable growth under nursery conditions. If sufficient material is available, a trial will be planted out in the new season and monitored.
Ploidy Determination An additional indirect technique for ploidy identification has been determined (other than the use of stomatal length and frequency measurements). The arrangements and number of chloroplasts within the stoma were examined as a rapid indirect technique for the identification of ploidy level in black wattle. Chloroplast counts were made from stomatal guard cells of leaves of known diploid (2n = 2x = 26) and tetraploid (2n = 4x = 52) plants grown under nursery conditions. Three-month-old plant material was used and five plants were chosen at random across six lines (three diploids, three tetraploids). In diploids, the mean number of chloroplasts per stoma was 9.89 ± 0.170 and 22.75 ± 0.170 for tetraploids. Chloroplasts in diploid guard cells were polarized into the corners, while evenly distributed in the tetraploids. These differences noted between the ploidy levels were significant (p<0.01). The analysis of stomatal chloroplast number and arrangement has proven to be an accurate indirect technique to distinguish between diploid and tetraploid black wattle, and this work was published as a research paper.
Page 32 Annual Research Review 2003 Research into the identification of a reliable, direct technique for ploidy analysis, other than chromosomal counts, has continued. One such technique is through the use of a flow cytometer. Such an apparatus has been located in Nelspruit at the Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops, and samples from three tetraploid and three diploid families have been sent for ploidy determination. The results from this direct technique will be compared against an indirect technique, such as stomatal length measurements. This facility will be useful for triploid and mixoploid identification in future.
Induction of Early Flowering As mentioned above, when the tetraploids start to flower they will be backcrossed with known diploids. Black wattle only begins flowering when it is approximately four years old. Investigations into the reduction of time to flowering are being undertaken in order to help speed up the entire process of producing triploids. Paclobutrazol has been applied to a thinned (simulated orchard) block of four-year-old trees at Bloemendal in an attempt to induce and increase flowering. Three treatments of Paclobutrazol were applied to these trees (60 trees per treatment) in a block design.
Flower production, seed set and any signs of internode reduction, known symptoms of Paclobutrazol treatments in other species, will be monitored and compared to the control in the following season.
Eighteen-month old seedlings in the nursery, which have been kept in 3 litre bags were transferred into 25 litre bags and were also treated with Paclobutrazol (control; 1.25 ml/1 cm root collar diameter; and 2.5 ml/1 cm root collar diameter) to determine whether early flowering could be induced. Trees were divided into top, middle and bottom sections and 15 internodal measurements were taken per section. This was done to determine whether the effects of Paclobutrazol were isolated to any specific part of the plant. Significant differences with respect to where readings were taken from (p=0.041) were noted, and internodal lengths at the bottom section of the tree were significantly shorter than those at the top. There were no significant differences between treatments (A = 2.5 mg/l /cm dbh and B = 1.25 mg/l /cm dbh). However, there were significant differences between the internodal lengths of the Paclobutrazol-treated plants and the control, with the lengths being significantly shorter in the former. One season after Paclobutrazol application, flowering was noted. Fifty percent of the control plants were flowering, 20 % of treatment A and 27 % of treatment B were flowering. These results were unexpected indicating that further research is needed into the flowering mechanisms of black wattle.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 33 Gamma Irradiation Induced Sterility Sterility can possibly also be induced through gamma irradiation of the seed before germination. This process disrupts the chromosomes responsible for sexual reproduction, resulting in infertile pollen or non- viable gametes. Flowering, seed set and viability studies are early phenotypic indicators as to whether or not irradiation has been successful.
Black Wattle A range of irradiation levels have been tested to determine when this is effective in inducing sterility, and at this stage, this range under investigation is from about 350 Gy to 420 Gy. A field trial was established at Bloemendal this year, consisting of five tree plots of 11 radiation levels, replicated three times.
Green Wattle Seed from three families were irradiated with a range of gamma irradiation levels. Based on viability studies it was determined that the effective range was between 400 Gy and 500 Gy. A field trial was established at Bloemendal, consisting of four tree plots of 21 radiation levels, replicated three times.
Field performance, flowering and seed set will be assessed in both of the above-mentioned trials. However, only once molecular analysis of the effects of irradiation Black wattle flowering on a containerised plant in have been conducted, will accurate assessments of the the nursery. effectiveness of irradiation in disrupting the chromosomes responsible for sexual reproduction and hence inducing sterility, be possible.
SPECIES TESTING
The South African forest industry is expressing interest in Acacia species other than A. mearnsii, as a possible source of fibre. Therefore the objectives of this project are: • to identify other Acacia species that may be of commercial importance to the South African forestry industry, and • once identified, to establish provenance/progeny trials of these new species and to improve them.
A.dealbata (Silver wattle) During January 2001 a replicated provenance type trial was planted at Sappi’s Clairmont Estate near Bulwer. The families originate from New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT in Australia and from Tasmania. Two
Page 34 Annual Research Review 2003 green wattle families and a black wattle family from South Africa were included for comparison purposes. The heights of the trees were measured one year after planting and very large family differences were found to exist. Amongst the best 10 families is one from Victoria as well as a Victoria bulk, one New South Wales family from Barrington Tops, four Tasmanian families and the seed orchard black wattle control from South Africa. The 10 worst families came from New South Wales (2), ACT, Tasmania (5) and the two local green wattle families. Stem form throughout the trial is generally good but species survival has been problematic. After four blanking operations the percentage survival varied between families from 22 % to 87 %.
Breast height diameters were measured during January 2003, and again the differences between Felling of Acacia silvestris. families were highly significant. The mean diameter of the trial was 5.42 cm. The best diameters were measured in a family from Sideling (7.77 cm) and Mt Elephant (7.08 cm), both in Tasmania. Grouped together, the provenance with the highest mean diameter originated from Victoria, followed by those from Tasmania. The New South Wales and ACT families were poor. Green wattle families were also poor. The black wattle control was above the trial mean.
The species showed great promise as far as stem form and growth is concerned before the trial was clear-felled during the winter of 2003.
A.decurrens (Green wattle) During February 2001 seven green wattle families, all from New South Wales in Australia, were planted at Bloemendal. Two local commercial families were included as controls. One year after planting tree heights were measured. Family heights varied from 1.89 m (Goulburn) to 2.38 m (Picton) with a trial mean of 2.13 m. The mean family survival in the trial is 51 %, varying between 20 % for a local family and 75 % for a family from Running Stream in New South Wales.
Flowering in green wattle.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Acacia Research Team would like to thank all the foresters and contractors involved in maintaining the trials in this programme. Micheon Ngubane and Bill Woodhouse from Bloemendal need special mention for all of their co-operation and efforts during the past year. Sunshine Seedling Services is thanked for its contribution to the continued vegetative propagation research with black wattle.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 35 OUTPUTS
Reports and Papers Beck S L, Dunlop R W and Fossey A. 2003. Evaluation of induced polyploidy in Acacia mearnsii through stomatal counts and guard cell measurements. South African Journal of Botany 69(4):563-567. Beck S L, Dunlop R W and Fossey A. 2003. Stomatal length and frequency as a measure of ploidy level in black wattle, Acacia mearnsii (de Wild). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 141:177-181. Beck S L, Fossey A and Mathura S. 2003. Ploidy determination of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) using stomatal chloroplast counts. Southern African Forestry Journal 198:79-82. Dunlop R W, Barnes R A, Hagedorn S F and Nixon K M. 2003. A breeding strategy for Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) in South Africa. Southern African Forestry Journal 199:55-64. Dunlop R W. 2003. An update on the cuttings versus seedlings trials. ICFR Internal Report, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Hagedorn S F and Dunlop R W. 2003. Status report on the new black wattle breeding strategy. ICFR Internal Report, Pietermaritzburg. Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Workshops and Presentations Dunlop R W. 2003. What do we know about wattle wood? ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day. Eston, 8th October.
REFERENCES
ICFR. 2002. Institute for Commercial Forestry Research Annual Research Review 2003. Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. pp23-30. Ness B.1998 Polyploidy : More is Better. wysiwyg://52/http:// botany.miningco.com/...ation/botany/library/weekly/aa032598.htm.
An example of a well-managed black wattle compartment in the Luneburg area.
Page 36 Annual Research Review 2003 Forest Nutrition The Team
Programme Manager: Ben du Toit Janine Campion Steven Dovey Anthony Job Greg Fuller Sam Soko (deceased November 2003) Assisted by: Denis Oscroft Robert Nkonde Patrick Thabethe Musa Mkwanazi Bheki Ndawonde
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Plantation productivity and fibre yield can potentially be substantially increased when nutrient supply to stands is optimised. Optimum nutrition can be achieved through manipulation of the processes liberating nutrients, and through the direct application of fertiliser supplements. The complex nature of ecological processes in forests calls for an understanding of the interrelationships that exist between stand nutrition, other processes that may constrain stand growth (e.g. soil water), and risk factors (e.g. fire or pests). The Forest Nutrition programme aims to After final biomass harvesting at 11 years of age, the increase the understanding of these Karkloof trial mature crop was clear felled. relationships upon which applied recommendations can then be based. These recommendations are robust, simple to apply and contain estimates of yield or fibre gain that can be expected with their implementation.
All operations that affect nutrient dynamics in the plantation system can potentially impact on the land’s future productive potential. The impact of management operations on nutrient fluxes and on ecosystem resilience thus needs to be thoroughly assessed during decision-making, and operational gains need to be weighted against ecological impacts and potential risks. Research outputs from this programme seek to supply managers at operational and strategic levels with the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding sustainable forest management.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 37 Broad objectives of the programme are to: • Understand the effect of site management operations on nutrient dynamics; • Understand the stand response to changes in levels of resource availability; • Quantify increases in yield and fibre gain when implementing optimum fertiliser and silvicultural practices; • Work towards those silvicultural practices that lower the risks (specifically those associated with fire, pests and diseases); • Quantify the (ecological) resilience of the forest system as a function of management impacts; and • Formulate (and update) applied silvicultural and fertiliser recommendations that maximise productivity on a site-specific basis, while ensuring that the productive potential of the site is maintained or enhanced over time.
There are a number of projects within the Forest Nutrition programme dedicated towards achieving these objectives, and these comprise Site Management for Sustained Productivity, Hardwood Nutrition, Softwood Nutrition and Nutritional Sustainability.
SITE MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINED PRODUCTIVITY
The nutrient dynamics within plantation forest systems are affected by all site management operations, which therefore impact on firstly, the productivity of the current tree crop, and secondly, long-term sustainability. This project focuses on the development of systems to understand and quantify nutrient pools and fluxes in forest ecosystems.
A key objective of the project is to assess the nutritional resilience or “buffer capacity” of major site types under tree crops, given current management practices and environmental conditions. In addition, it is necessary to assess the sensitivity of different site types to changes in management practices or environmental The optical plant canopy analyser measures factors (e.g. effect of introducing slash burning or Plant Area Index which can be calibrated to firewood harvesting by local people; and the effect of predict stand Leaf Area Index (LAI). increased Nitrogen deposition). Research is also underway to establish a single, simple yet robust index to assist in the practical management of risks associated with nutritional sustainability. The effects of intensive site management operations on the rate of nutrient mineralisation and nutrient availability need to be quantified and modelled. In addition the rate of nutrient availability must be linked to stand nutrient accretion and stand productivity. Finally it is critical to understand the response mechanism of tree stands to changes in resource availability and use this in the formulation of (a) hypotheses to be tested in future trial groups, and (b) applied recommendations.
Page 38 Annual Research Review 2003 Highlights 2003 Nutritional sustainability » An index of nutritional sustainability (dubbed pINS) has been developed, using the Karkloof experiment as a case study (du Toit and Scholes, 2002). This is an objective indicator of the “degree of nutritional stability” of current systems and identifies non-sustainable silvicultural practices as well as sensitive sites. The requirements to use this index on a wider scale are (a) input-output budgets for nutrients, (b) knowledge of the major soil types, (c) analysis of their short- and long-term nutrient supply capacities.
» Additional information on nutrient input and output from forested areas has been gathered to satisfy requirement (a), specifically with regard to atmospheric deposition (e.g. study of Lowman, 2003). The latter is usually a large input and it is costly to quantify experimentally. Dominant soil types within major geological groups (after Kunz and Pallett, 2000) are being used to satisfy requirements (b) and (c). The process to identify these dominant soils has been facilitated by the use of spatial databases (GIS). The first batch of soils has been selected (from ICFR soils archive) for additional chemical analyses (note that existing basic analyses results for these soils are also being used).
Nutrient dynamics » An understanding of the nutrient pools and fluxes (particularly the short-term nutrient dynamics) can explain stand responses to management operations. This knowledge will be used to formulate and refine site-specific management recommendations (e.g. fertilisation, slash burning, harvesting x fertiliser interactions, etc.). The foundation of this work (basic nutrient capital in the various components of the system) has already been published and includes: • Nutrient capital in ecosystem components of a short rotation eucalypt crop (du Toit, 2003); • Case study of nutrient losses with harvesting and slash burning (du Toit, 2003); • Calibration of an optical plant area index with leaf area index for young eucalypt crops (Dovey and du Toit, 2003); • Allometric relationships in short-rotation E. grandis (Job and du Toit, 2003); and • Effect of site management on leaf area, biomass development and stand growth efficiency of a young stand of E grandis in South Africa (du Toit and Dovey, 2003).
» Most of the major nutrient fluxes in the biogeochemical cycle have been measured over four years across five site management treatments in the Karkloof experiment. The team is currently synthesising this information for publication under the following themes: nutrient accretion by growing biomass, carbon and nutrient partitioning into various tissues, litter fall, root turnover, slash decomposition, Nitrogen mineralisation and Phosphorous availability.
HARDWOOD NUTRITION
Optimising nutrient supply to tree crops through intensive site management and fertilisation can substantially increase stand yield and fibre gain. To realise maximum return on financial investment, factors that govern responses to added fertilisers (i.e. inherent site fertility, available soil water, management operations, stand age and balance between individual elements) need to be understood and incorporated
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 39 into fertiliser recommendations. To this end, fertiliser trials are conducted and the mechanisms of response to increased nutrient availability are being studied. The fertiliser trials are situated on dominant soil types with appropriate species and are conducted in newly planted as well as established stands. The effect of fertilisation can result in increased growth as well as changes in wood properties such as density and fibre yield. These responses are quantified to assist plantation and area managers in making informed decisions on fertiliser use. Collection of foliar samples in a stamd of sawtimber eucalypts. (Note the tree climber in the centre of the picture.) The objectives of the project are therefore to formulate simple, site-specific recommendations for management and fertiliser regimes for optimum fibre yield, and to quantify the timber volume, timber mass and fibre gain expected from the implementation of such recommendations across sites tested.
Highlights 2003 » The Zululand eucalypt hybrid fertiliser trial series (established in 1994) has been clear felled and the wood density and screened pulp yield of selected treatments analysed. The results were interpreted, presented to the Zululand Interest Group, and published (du Toit and Drew, 2003; du Toit and Oscroft, 2003).
» Four groups of trials testing the response to fertiliser applied at planting (covering major eucalypt species and dominant site types in the eastern escarpment and midlands regions) were established during the previous decade. Growth responses were recorded and these trials can now be clear felled to determine effects of fertilisation on wood density.
» The first trial in the sawtimber eucalypt post-establishment group (Trial F143) was established during 2003 and is in good condition. Intensive measurements of leaf area index, foliar nutrient levels and stand growth are being conducted.
» The allometric relationships developed for stands of Acacia mearnsii (Dovey et al., 2003) now enables the calculation of the biomass contained in different components of stands across various ages and site indices. The nutrient pools in the various components will be calculated to determine the impact of biomass removal from the site. This information will feed back into the work on nutritional sustainability.
» The final measurements of a 5th rotation fertiliser trial in wattle (Bloemendal) have been recorded. The trial is currently being harvested and will be replanted as part of the sustainability network of sites.
» The set of allometric relationships has been developed from the Karkloof Project trial for use in process-based models (Job et al., 2003). This information, coupled to data on biomass partitioning will enable quantification of nutrient accretion into the biomass of the growing stand. This data will be used to test the validity of some soil-based indices of nutrient availability, which could potentially be used to refine fertiliser recommendations.
Page 40 Annual Research Review 2003 SOFTWOOD NUTRITION
Optimum nutrient supply has been shown to improve growth in several plantation forests worldwide. Nutrient availability to trees can be maintained at optimum levels through an integrated approach of silvicultural management and fertilisation. As for hardwood species, to ensure maximum financial return, the same factors governing responses to added fertilisers must to be understood and incorporated into fertiliser recommendations. To achieve this, fertiliser trials are conducted to test the response to fertilising newly planted as well as established stands (in both thinned and unthinned crops). Trials are conducted with the major softwood species across dominant site types.
The management of slash in pine plantations has implications for nutrient cycling, stand regeneration and survival, as well as fire risk. The use of fire or other slash management practices as tools to reduce fuel loads, or to speed up nutrient cycling is currently being investigated. The first step in this process is the accurate quantification of slash loads (both as a fuel and in terms of the nutrient pools contained therein). Subsequent work is planned to quantify the effect of fire of varying intensities on nutrient dynamics and nutrient losses in the plantation system. Two distinct patterns of pine slash distribution after clear felling (foreground and background) recorded at the The project therefore seeks to maximise Vaalhoek monitoring site. commercial softwood plantation productivity in a sustainable and site-specific manner. This is achieved firstly, by formulating simple, site-specific fertiliser recommendations for optimum timber yield, and secondly by providing information, tools and guidelines for the management of slash and fuel loads on a case-specific basis that minimises risk without compromising the principles of sustainable forest management.
Highlights 2003 » The Forest Nutrition team convened a successful workshop on slash and burning in South African forest plantations during May 2003 (du Toit et al., 2003). The focus of this gathering was on future research needs in two fields; managing fire risk and fuels without jeopardising long-term sustainability, and managing fire intensity and fire behaviour.
» Timothy Ross (M Sc candidate from the University of Stellenbosch), has made good progress on characterising fuel loads under stands of Pinus patula. The forest floor and slash loads of 30 stands of P. patula have been quantified and sampled during 2003. This work forms the basis for fuel behaviour modelling and provides an understanding of nutrient capital contained in slash.
» The trial base for pines regarding fertilisation at establishment has been re-visited to update the current fertiliser recommendations (Campion and du Toit, 2003a). The final responses of semi-mature pine sawtimber stands that had been fertilised at first and second thinning have been analysed and published (Campion and du Toit, 2003b).
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 41 NUTRITIONAL SUSTAINABILITY
It is critical to maintain a nucleus of competence in forest nutrition within the programme and to address issues of sustainability. In order to achieve this, a number of sub-projects are geared towards growing skills of research staff (through post graduate studies or courses), undertaking pilot studies using untested techniques or approaches, and writing literature reviews and other papers that form the foundation for more applied research. In addition, time is allocated to the peer-review and publication process to ensure that research staff members maintain a high level of scientific credibility. Wet mass of discs taken during biomass sampling are recorded with a portable balance in field before oven drying.
Highlights 2003 » Three ICFR researchers had the opportunity to attend a postgraduate course entitled: “Measuring and modelling carbon pools and fluxes in forest ecosystems”, made possible through generous financial assistance from the Swedish Agricultural University. Students were trained using four process-based simulation models (3-PG, Century, G’Day and Q) to assess the impact of changes in climate, nutrient and water availability on long-term carbon dynamics of forest ecosystems. These skills are particularly suited to measure, explain and predict the long-term impacts of management operations on sustainable productivity.
» The allometric relationships in stands of E. grandis and A. mearnsii have been researched. It is now possible to construct nutrient pools within stands of several ages and to accurately predict nutrient removals when specific components of biomass are harvested. In addition, parameters were obtained for use in process-based simulation models such as 3-PG.
» All data in the Came optimisation trial conducted has been gathered and good progress has been made with data analyses and interpretation. This will enable the drafting of the three final reports on this project.
OUTPUTS Reports and Papers Campion J C and Scholes M C. 2003. Foliar nutrient dynamics of Eucalyptus grandis, as influenced by irrigation and fertilisation. (Submitted for publication). Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003. Impacts of fertiliser applied at second thinning on basal area growth of Pinus patula in the Mpumalanga area. ICFR Bulletin Series 18/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Page 42 Annual Research Review 2003 Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003. Updated recommendations for fertilisation of pine species in the summer rainfall region of southern Africa. ICFR Innovations 01/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Campion J C, Esprey L J and du Toit B. 2003. Graduate course on “Measuring and modelling carbon pools and fluxes in forest ecosystems”. ICFR Bulletin Series 19/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Dovey S B and du Toit B. 2003. Calibration of LAI-2000 canopy analyser with leaf area index in a young eucalypt stand. (Submitted for publication). Dovey S B and du Toit B. 2003. A general review of allometry, biomass and nutritional sustainability of Acacia mearnsii. ICFR Bulletin Series 16/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Dovey S B, du Toit B and Smith C W. 2003. Allometry and biomass of Acacia mearnsii across four ages and three sites in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. ICFR Bulletin Series 17/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. du Toit B. 2003. Effects of site management operations on the nutrient capital of a eucalypt plantation system in South Africa. Southern African Forestry Journal 199:15-26. du Toit B and Dovey S B. 2003. Effect of site management on leaf area, biomass development and stand growth efficiency of a young stand of Eucalyptus grandis Sampling P.patula slash load by fuel classes, for use in fire in South Africa. (Submitted for behaviour prediction. publication). du Toit B and Drew D. 2003. Effects of fertilising eucalypt hybrids in coastal Zululand at time of planting on wood density, screened pulp yield and fibre gain. ICFR Bulletin Series 22/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. du Toit B and Oscroft D. 2003. Volume response of six-year-old eucalypt hybrids to fertilisation on the Zululand coastal plain. ICFR Bulletin Series 21/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. du Toit B, Dovey S B, Fuller G M and Job R A. 2003. Effects of harvesting and site management on nutrient pools and stand growth in a South African eucalypt plantation. (Submitted for publication in CIFOR workshop proceedings). du Toit B, Fuller G M, Campion J C, McNamara L and du Plessis M. 2003. Proceedings of the workshop: Slash management and slash burning in South African Forests: Issues and research needs. ICFR Bulletin Series 08/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Esprey L and Campion J C. 2003. International Conference on eucalypt productivity. A synthesis of the environmental, genetic, physiological and silvicultural determinants of growth. ICFR Bulletin Series 02/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 43 Job R A, Esprey L J and du Toit B. 2003. Estimating selected input parameters for 3-PG using above-ground biomass data collected from an age series of Eucalyptus grandis in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 15/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Little K M and du Toit B. 2003. Management of Eucalyptus grandis coppice regeneration of seedling parent stock in Zululand, South Africa. Australian Forestry 66(2): 108-112. Rolando C A, Little K, du Toit B and Smith C. 2003. The effect of site preparation and vegetation control on survival, growth and nutrition during re-establishment of Pinus patula. ICFR Bulletin Series 05/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Workshops and Presentations Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003. Update on fertiliser recommendations for pines in the summer rainfall area. ICFR field day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May. Dovey S B and du Toit B. 2003. Comparison of LAI-2000 and leaf area index calibrations at three ages in a young eucalypt stand: Paper presented at Vth Workshop: “Site Management and Productivity in Tropical Plantation Forests”, Guangdong, China, 24th – 28th February. du Toit B. 2003. Fire intensity and Nutrient dynamics: Implications for management and research. SAIF Symposium, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 28th May. du Toit B. 2003. Fertilising eucalypt hybrids in Zululand for maximum fibre gain. ICFR Zululand Interest Group, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu- Natal, 7th August. du Toit B, Dovey S B, Fuller G M and Job R A. 2003. Some effects of site management on nutrient pools and stand growth in a South African eucalypt plantation: Paper presented at Vth Workshop: “Site Management and Productivity in Tropical Plantation Forests”, Guangdong, China, 24th – 28th February. du Toit B, Dovey S B, Fuller G M and Job R A. 2003. Do we farm eucalypts on a sustainable basis? ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 7th October. Ross T. 2003. Characterising of the forest floor and harvesting residue of pine stands in southern Africa. ICFR Workshop on Slash Management and Slash Burning, Nelspruit, 29th May.
REFERENCES Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003a. Updated recommendations for fertilisation of pine species in the summer rainfall region of southern Africa. ICFR Innovations 01/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Campion J C and du Toit B. 2003. Impacts of fertiliser applied at second thinning on basal area growth of Pinus patula in the Mpumalanga area. ICFR Bulletin Series 18/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Dovey S B and du Toit B. 2003. Calibration of LAI-2000 canopy analyser with leaf area index in a young eucalypt stand. (Submitted for publication). Dovey S B, du Toit B and Smith C W. 2003. Allometry and biomass of Acacia mearnsii across four ages and three sites in the KwaZulu- Natal midlands. ICFR Bulletin Series 17/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. du Toit B. 2003. Effects of site management operations on the nutrient capital of a eucalypt plantation system in South Africa. Southern African Forestry Journal 199:15-26.
Page 44 Annual Research Review 2003 du Toit B and Scholes M C. 2002. Nutritional sustainability of Eucalyptus plantations: A case study at Karkloof, South Africa. Southern African Forestry Journal 195:63-72. du Toit B and Dovey S B. 2003. Effect of site management on leaf area, biomass development and stand growth efficiency of a young stand of Eucalyptus grandis in South Africa. (Submitted for publication). du Toit B and Oscroft D. 2003. Volume response of six-year-old eucalypt hybrids to fertilisation on the Zululand coastal plain. ICFR Bulletin Series 21/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. du Toit B, Fuller G M, Campion J C, McNamara L and du Plessis M. 2003. Proceedings of the workshop: Slash management and slash burning in South African Forests: Issues and research needs. ICFR Bulletin Series 08/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Job R A, Esprey L J and du Toit B. 2003. Estimating selected input parameters for 3-PG using above-ground biomass data collected from an age series of Eucalyptus grandis in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 15/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Kunz R and Pallett R. 2000. A stratification system based on climate and lithology for locating commercial forestry permanent sample plots. ICFR Bulletin Series 01/2000, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Lowman G. 2003. Deposition of nitrogen to grassland versus forested areas in the vicinity of Sabie, Mpumalanga. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, University of the Witwatersrand.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 45 Plantation Re-establishment Research
The Team
Programme Manager: Keith Little Carol Rolando Paul Viero Gert van den Berg Gavin Higgs Assisted by: Denis Oscroft Musa Mkhwanazi Greg Fuller Patrick Thabethe Robert Nkonde Colin Chiappero David Borain (Student)
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Regeneration is defined as renewing tree cover through the re-establishment of young trees, either naturally (by coppice) or artificially (by direct seeding or planting). Silviculture during regeneration is normally directed towards timber production (although other goals may exist), as any negative factor, or combination of factors affecting the regeneration of the trees will affect timber production. The main objective of this programme is to investigate and quantify the effects of environmental and physiographic factors, as well as different silvicultural practices, on planting stock physiology, in terms of survival, growth and uniformity. The understanding gained will be used to develop cost- effective recommendations that minimise stress during re-establishment and maximize survival, growth and uniformity for a range of sites, species and management objectives within commercial plantations.
All outcomes derived from future research in the Plantation Re- establishment Research programme will be governed by the following three principles: • Any technique or methodology used in regeneration research must subscribe to principles of sustainable land use currently required for forestry certification.
Page 46 Annual Research Review 2003 • Innovative ways need to be sought for the development and transfer of any existing or new techniques and methodologies. • Any new research needs to take into account the integration of the various phases that make up the total silvicultural process of tree establishment. There are five main project areas within the Plantation Re- establishment Research Programme: Vegetation Management, Coppice Management, Ecophysiological Regeneration Research, Plantation Forestry Sustainability Initiative and the Pine Fusarium Working Group.
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
Effective vegetation management in plantations of all commercially grown timber species has the potential to improve tree growth and yield. The use of ecologically acceptable and cost-effective vegetation management techniques, together with optimum timing of these operations, is particularly important during tree establishment. Additional benefits include reduced mortality, increased stem and stand uniformity and reduced time to canopy closure.
This project has been divided into two; Adaptive Vegetation Management research and the Commercial Deployment of Weed Control Standards. Before weed control recommendations can be made, it is important to assess the impact of weed growth on tree performance (to determine the need to weed) across different physiographic and climatic regions. In order to obtain this information, a number of trials were planned and established in the mid-1990’s across a range of sites and species. Many of the eucalypt trials have recently been felled or are reaching the end of their rotation, and these together with the trials established to pines continue to provide a wealth of information regarding the long-term impact of weed control on tree performance.
Adaptive Vegetation Management
Most of the pine and eucalypt trials within this project were implemented at the request of ICFR’s sponsor companies, the main objectives being to: • test the principles behind vegetation management (the need to carry out weed control); • determine the need for post-establishment weed control; • determine the most competitive functional groups of vegetation for possible selective control; • quantify the interaction between vegetation management and other silvicultural practices (such as site preparation, fertilisation and residue management); and • understand the processes involved in competition to ensure that robust recommendations can be more widely extrapolated.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 47 Highlights 2003 » In addition to the production of local papers and reports, four papers have been published in ISI accredited journals.
» Two trials, one wattle and one eucalypt, assessing the interaction between weed control and burning were felled. Valuable information was obtained during the development of the trees, and intensive sampling and measurements were carried out at felling, to accurately assess the long-term impact of treatments on tree performance.
» Both these trials were successfully re-implemented with the same treatments and now form part of the Plantation Forestry Sustainability Initiative (PFSI).
Commercial Deployment of Weed Control Standards
Once the necessity of weed control for tree species grown in South Africa has been demonstrated, tentative recommendations can be made, although the practicality and economic viability of these can only be tested on a commercial basis. In conjunction with this is the out-sourcing of current weed control operations to weed control contractors. This has created the need for minimum standards against which they can be assessed. Information obtained from these trials will be of Weeding is done on a commercial scale in the trials immediate and practical use to the forest implemented to test different weed control standards. industry in: • allowing companies to adjust their weed control budgets on a regional scale; and • providing companies with tree growth data and weed control costs for various weed control treatments within one region.
A series of pine and eucalypt trials have been planned for implementation across broad physiographic regions (linked to altitude). The purpose of these is to compare different commercially applied weed control “treatments” (ICFR and Company) on a commercial basis, and to implement the trials within a logical framework such that future recommendations can be of benefit to the companies. In addition, cost-benefit scenarios for the different “treatments” will be linked to tree performance.
Highlights 2003 » During 2000 - 2001 five pine trials were implemented, one at a high-altitude site, two at mid-altitude sites and two at low- altitude sites. One of the low-altitude trials and both the mid- altitude trials had unscheduled weed control operations, and as such, were terminated. The low-altitude trial was re-
Page 48 Annual Research Review 2003 implemented during 2002 - 2003 and the replacement for the mid-altitude trial is due to be re-implemented during the coming growing season.
» Of the three eucalypt trials planned, the low-altitude, low-productivity trial situated in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands was initiated in 2002. The remaining two trials have recently been planted, and will be monitored through the current growing season. As these trials are in their infancy, results will only become available once canopy closure has occurred (4 - 5 years for the pines and 18 months for the eucalypts).
COPPICE MANAGEMENT
Past coppice research was conducted mainly on Eucalyptus grandis in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Although this research provided sound recommendations, many of which are still in use, additional issues were raised that could not be answered from previous coppice management trials. Some of these issues relate to: • determining the minimum levels of stocking (stumps) before replanting should be considered; • differences in growth, volume and wood properties between coppiced and re-planted stands of similar genetic material; • coppicing potential of species other than E. grandis (E. nitens, E. macarthurii, E. smithii, E. dunnii, E. grandis x camaldulensis and E. grandis x urophylla); • testing new approaches related to coppice management (early coppice reduction, chemical control of “feathering”, weed control and fertilisation).
First coppice reduction to two stems in a trial Also included in this project are issues related to the comparing the benefits of coppicing with preservation or killing of eucalypt stumps following replanting. harvesting, depending on whether the site is to be coppiced or re-planted.
All the trials within this project have been designed to be of a practical nature, yielding recommendations of direct and immediate benefit to the forest industry.
Highlights 2003 » A trial was successfully implemented to determine the impact of different mechanical harvesting techniques on stump damage and subsequent coppice regrowth.
» A Masters project has been initiated comparing regeneration via coppice and seedlings from the same genetic source, using data at six years from two trials (E. nitens and E. macarthurii).
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 49 ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
In 2003 this project expanded to include a hardwood research component and has subsequently been divided into two sections, Eucalypt and Pine Regeneration Research. The fundamental concepts driving poor establishment in either hardwood or softwood species are likely to be similar. However, specific differences in physiology, silvicultural management, deployment and importance from region to region, require that they be separated in research. Obviously there will be overlap in silvicultural issues pertaining to both, and where possible, research will be structured so as to minimise repetition. Equipment used to measure soil moisture in the planting pit. Understanding and consolidating previous, local and international research on regeneration is an important aspect of future work on any local species/hybrids. This will provide the necessary background to firstly, qualify research issues that have been adequately dealt with in the past and secondly, to help identify logical and comprehensive strategies to answer outstanding questions. These will be addressed sequentially by trial implementation.
In general, regeneration research is structured around determining the importance of the following factors in terms of optimising survival, growth and uniformity: • Plant physiological factors and planting stock quality issues; • Silviculture practiced at planting; • Climate and site quality; • Interaction between climate, site, silviculture and planting stock quality; • Pests and diseases; and • Stand competition and density dynamics.
Highlights 2003 » Field equipment has been sourced for the measurement of site and micro-climatic factors.
» Two pilot trials investigating the measurement of stress and microclimate were implemented. Although successful, these trials highlighted the lack of suitable techniques and equipment for understanding stress in pine seedlings.
» Carol Rolando undertook a research trip to the South Eastern USA, gaining international support for the research conducted in this project, as well as providing ideas for the way forward.
» A long-term plan for the eucalypt component of this project was developed. This has been combined with the pine component to
Page 50 Annual Research Review 2003 complete the project plan for Ecophysiological Regeneration Research.
» A trial proposal was developed to address differences between planting densities and final stocking as a result of site and silviculture.
RE-ESTABLISHMENT RESEARCH CORE PROJECT
The main focus of this initiative is on strengthening the Re-establishment Research platform such that the programme continues producing relevant and applicable research on a sustained basis in the future. Although the outputs from this project will be of benefit to the forest industry, they may not be of immediate and/or practical use. Rather they are geared towards improving researcher competence (scientific ability and understanding) as well as research methodology and techniques.
The project has two main objectives; namely to increase understanding of firstly the key ecological and physiological process that drive tree growth, and secondly, the interaction Burning of harvest residue in one of the trials forming part between silvicultural practice and tree growth, of the Plantation Forestry Sustainability Initiative. thus ensuring long-term sustainability (over a number of rotations) from an applied silvicultural perspective (Plantation Forestry Sustainability Initiative - PFSI).
Highlights 2003 » The project has been successful in establishing the potential of chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool to determine stress in eucalypts.
» The PFSI has been formalised.
» Two burn x weed control trials with the same genetic material have been re-implemented as part of this Initiative
PINE FUSARIUM WORKING GROUP
Originally established in 2000 by a group of concerned and dedicated nursery managers, researchers and growers linked to the South African forestry industry, the Pine Fusarium Working Group (PFWG) was set up to investigate this serious pine disease. With Paul Viero (ICFR) as Chairperson, the ICFR was nominated to co-ordinate the working group, informing and updating the forest industry on issues related to Fusarium circinatum. The Institute’s role as a silvicultural research organisation within the PFWG, has become an increasingly important one, especially as F. circinatum, initially perceived as an exclusively nursery pathogen,
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 51 has moved into the field potentially becoming a serious pathogen during pine establishment. The ICFR aims to pool and distribute all relevant information regarding Fusarium spp. in particular F. circinatum, and to develop practical guidelines and methods to assist both nursery managers and silviculturalists in successful long-term establishment of P. patula.
Highlights 2003 » A website has been created linked to the ICFR website, and is updated regularly.
A pine seedling showing typical symptoms » A literature review on the current status of F. circinatum of Fusarium circinatum disease. on pines in South Africa is underway. (Photo - Glen Mitchell, Sappi Forests) » Collection of long-term data on pine field mortality has been completed.
» The development and implementation of a formal industry protocol for gathering data on F. circinatum is in progress.
» Nursery Accreditation guidelines for F. circinatum control have been drafted for the Seedling Growers Association of South Africa (SGASA) and there are concerted efforts to improve the link between nursery and field.
OUTPUTS
Reports and Papers Little K M 2003. Killing Eucalyptus grandis cut stumps after multiple coppice rotations. Southern African Forestry Journal 199:1-7. Little K M and du Toit B. 2003. Investigations into Eucalyptus grandis coppice regeneration of seedling parent stock in Zululand, South Africa. Australian Forestry 66(2):108-112. Little K M and Gardner R A W. 2003. Coppicing ability of 20 Eucalyptus species grown at two high altitude sites in South Africa. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 33:181-189. Little K M and van Staden J. 2003. Interspecific competition affects early growth of a Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis hybrid clone in Zululand, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 69 (in press). Little K M, Rolando C A and Lotter W D. 2003. Removal of exotic woody vegetation from a riparian area: Results from a short-term management trial. ICFR Bulletin Series 05/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Little K M, Schumann A W and Noble A D. 2002. Performance of a Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis hybrid clone as influenced by a cowpea cover-crop. Forest Ecology and Management 168:43-52. Little K M, van Staden J and Clarke G P Y. 2003. Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis variability and intra-genotypic competition as a function of different vegetation management treatments. New Forests 25:227-242.
Page 52 Annual Research Review 2003 Little K M, van Staden J and Clarke G P Y. 2003. The relationship between vegetation management and the wood and pulping properties of a Eucalyptus hybrid clone. Annals of Forest Science 60:1-8. Rolando C A. 2003. Perspectives on forestry and research in the South Eastern USA. Report on a trip to various research and commercial organisations in Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia, USA. 7th-22nd July. ICFR Bulletin Series 12/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Rolando C A and Allen R A. 2003. Survival and growth of Pinus patula at two years in response to residue and pest management. Southern African Forestry Journal (in press). Rolando C A and Little K M. 2003. Using chlorophyll fluorescence to determine stress in Eucalyptus grandis seedlings. Southern African Forestry Journal 197:5-12. Rolando C A, Little K M, du Toit B and Smith C. 2003. The effect of site preparation and vegetation control on survival, growth and nutrition during Pinus patula re-establishment. ICFR Bulletin Series 04/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Rolando C A, Viero P W M and Little K M. 2003. Ecophysiological Regeneration Research: Project Proposal and Plan 2003 – 2008. ICFR Bulletin Series 20/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Viero P W M and Little K M. 2003. Influence of a hydrogel on initial eucalypt growth and root development: Results from a pot trial. ICFR Bulletin Series 14/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Workshops and Presentations Fuller G M. 2002. Above and below ground differences between E. grandis cuttings and seedlings from the same genetic source. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Little K and Rolando C. 2002. Results from pine vegetation management research. Re-establishment Workshop Sabie, Mpumalanga, 8th October. Little K and Rolando C. 2002. Results from pine vegetation management research. Re-establishment Workshop, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 11th October. Little K M. 2002. Early results from an E. grandis weeding x cuttings/seedling trial. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Little K M. 2003. Coppicing of eucalypts – an introduction and overview of past and present research. NECF Coppicing Field Day, Ugie, North East Cape, 7th April. Little K M. 2003. Coppicing potential of Eucalyptus nitens: Results from a field Taking time out at a field visit with small scale growers in survey. NECF Coppicing Field Day, Ugie, Zululand. North East Cape, 7th April.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 53 Little K M. 2003. The influence of various methods of plantation residue management on weed and Acacia mearnsii growth. Mondi Wattle Burning Field Day, Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, 29th April. Little K M. 2003. Competitive interactions between grasses or broadleaves on early Pinus greggii growth: Mechanisms of interference. ICFR Mpumalanga Interest Group Field Day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May. Little K M. 2003. Principles of vegetation management. GFP Vegetation Management Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 25th May. Little K M. 2003. Vegetation growth in burnt and un-burnt stands. SAIF Symposium: Slash Management – A Burning Issue, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 28th May. Little K M. 2003. The response of a Eucalyptus hybrid clone to weed control and burning. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 7th August. Little K M. 2003. Bridging the gap between research and commercial weeding operations. Midlands Interest Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October. Little K M and Gardner R A W. 2003. Coppicing ability of 20 Eucalyptus species grown at two high altitude sites in South Africa. Eucalypt Interest Group Field Day, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, 2nd April. Little K M and Gardner R A W. 2003. Coppicing ability of 20 Eucalyptus species grown at two high altitude sites in South Africa. NECF Coppicing Field Day, Ugie, North East Cape, 7th April. Oscroft D. 2002. 12 month results from a 2nd rotation sustainability trial dealing with residue management and fertilisation. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Oscroft D. 2003. Plantation Forestry Sustainability Initiative. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 7th August. Rolando C A and Viero P W M. 2003 An ad hoc method for the monitoring of Fusarium circinatum in ICFR pine trials. PFWG Meeting, Witriver, Mpumalanga, 12th August. Rolando C A, Little K M and Lotter W A. 2003. Management of woody weeds in non-afforested areas. GFP Vegetation Management Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 25th May. Rolando C A. 2002. Ecophysiological Regeneration Research. Re- establishment Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 8th October. Rolando C A. 2002. Ecophysiological Regeneration Research. Re- establishment Workshop, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 11th October. Rolando C A. 2002. Can chlorophyll fluorescence be used to detect stress in E. grandis seedlings? ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Rolando C A. 2003. Regeneration Research at the ICFR. TPCP Annual Research Meeting, University of Pretoria, Gauteng,12th March Rolando C A. 2003. Sustainable Plantation forestry. ICFR Workshop on Burning of Slash, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 29th May. Rolando C A. 2003. The effect of site preparation and vegetation control during Pinus patula re-establishment on survival, growth and nutrition. ICFR Mpumalanga Interest Group Field Day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May.
Page 54 Annual Research Review 2003 Rolando C A. 2003. The South African Forestry Industry and Research at the ICFR. Talk presented on research visit to South Eastern USA: Southern Research Station, Ecology and Management of Even Aged Pine Forests, Pineville, Louisiana, 8th July. Rolando C A. 2003. The South African Forestry Industry and Research at the ICFR. Talk presented on research visit to South Eastern USA: Southern Research Station, Forest Vegetation Management and Long-Leaf Pine Research Unit, Auburn, Alabama, 14th July. Rolando C A. 2003 The South African Forestry Industry and Research at the ICFR. Talk presented on research visit to South Eastern USA: School of Forestry, Auburn University, Alabama, 15th July. Rolando C A. 2003. Survival and growth of P. patula at two years in response to residue and pest management, in Mpumalanga. ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal 8th October. van den Berg G. 2002. Interaction between rainfall, under-canopy vegetation and the debarking of Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Viero P W M. 2002. Super-absorbents: An overview of past and present research for the sandy and sandy clay loam soils of Zululand. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 26th November. Viero P W M. 2003. Planting techniques. Mondi Field Day, Melmoth, Ntonjaneni Area, KwaZulu-Natal, 10th February. Viero P W M. 2003. Overview of ICFR’s role in the PFWG. Pine Fusarium Working Group Meeting, University of Pretoria, Gauteng, 13th March. Viero P W M. 2003. Super-absorbents: An overview of past and present research. Eucalypt Interest Group Field Day, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, 2nd April. Viero P W M. 2003. An update on the Aqua-Soil trial series, with particular reference to the Zululand Sands. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th May. Viero P W M. 2003 Overview on Pine Fusarium Working Group. ICFR Mpumalanga Interest Group Field Day, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 14th May. Viero P W M. 2003. Supply and Apply. GFP Vegetation Management Workshop, Sabie, Mpumalanga, 25th May. Viero P W M. 2003. Introduction to the eucalypt Ecophysiological regeneration programme. ICFR Zululand Interest Group Field Day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 7th August. Viero P W M. 2003. Preliminary results from a Eucalyptus grandis seedling re-establishment trial. ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 55 Forest Productivity The Team Programme Manager: Colin Smith Robin Gardner Luke Esprey Trevor Morley Di Rietz (Post-graduate student) Alpheos Ntombela Shadron Naicker Blessing Mbentse Assisted by: Chris Komakech Denis Oscroft Musa Mkwanazi Colin Chiappero Michael Buthelezi
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Understanding the factors that regulate forest productivity is integral to every level of forestry management planning. This necessitates developing guidelines regarding site requirements of the main commercial species, and alternative species to existing ones. Moreover, knowing the effects of site constraints on present and future tree growth, can aid in understanding the sustainability of intensively managed plantation forests. This programme seeks to provide information regarding productivity in South African forest plantations, which will assist management planning in the following respects: • Quantification of the effect of stand density/ stocking on growth dynamics by conducting spacing trials; • Flexible growth and yield modelling using climatic indices as well as estimations of forest productivity from non-planted areas by investigating new technologies (e.g. remote sensing) for predicting forest productivity; • Developing site based empirical stand level models related to a site classification based on climate; • The development of flexible growth tools to allow management to generate “what-if?” scenarios; • Appropriate site:species optimisation and identification of alternative eucalypt species for low productivity sites; and • Evaluating the effects of intensive forest management, such as harvesting operations, on sustainable fibre supply and long-term site productivity.
These are achieved by conducting research in four main project areas; Growth Modelling and Yield Optimisation, Harvesting Impacts and Sustainability, Site:Species Interaction Research and Core Funding. In addition the ICFR also administers the database for the Modelling and Mensuration Research Consortium (MMRC).
Page 56 Annual Research Review 2003 GROWTH MODELLING AND YIELD OPTIMISATION
Growth modelling plays a central role in forest management planning in predicting future yields, standing volumes, harvesting scheduling and yield optimisation, and is central to the effective and sustainable utilisation of wood resources in forest plantations. Understanding the effects of stand density and stocking on growth is of fundamental importance and influences decisions throughout the growth cycle, from initial spacing to optimum rotation length for a given final product. This is achieved by synthesising all aspects of growth and yield modelling, spacing trials, PSP analysis, Growth and Yield (G & Y) database management and new technologies such as process based modelling and remote sensing. The project integrates a number of approaches to growth modelling in addressing these issues, but in the future, it is proposed that it will be underpinned by the forestry site classification developed during 2003. Developing stand level growth and yield models in the context of the site classification will augment and complement the work of the MMRC by providing the framework into which modelling studies can be cast. This work will also provide generic parameter sets for a range Monitoring atmospheric conditions and of species using standard G & Y models. climate are important for understanding determinants of forest productivity. Highlights 2003 » Stand-level models of Eucalyptus grandis based on a site classification have been developed.
» A benchmark report on the parameter sensitivity analysis of the 3- PG model for predicting forest productivity has been produced.
» Substantial progress has been made in the field of process-based modelling via the collaboration with Co-operative Centre for Sustainable Plantation Forestry (CRC-SPF) in Hobart, Australia including a visit by Dr Peter Sands (CRC-SPF) who has helped develop guidelines necessary for the parameterisation of 3-PG.
» The design and implementation of new spacing trials, by varying stand density classically and by implementation of different management practices, has been completed.
» A Pinus patula spacing trial has been implemented in the KZN Midlands.
Emphasis in 2004 will be placed on further modelling of the species data linked to the site classification (i.e. linking MAI trends to site index and site classes. Further spacing trials are being planned in the future with Eucalyptus smithii and Pinus patula on varying site qualities. A Eucalyptus smithii spacing trial will be implemented during the summer 2003/2004. These trials are being planned and implemented with the Re-establishment Research programme and feature two levels of silviculture in addition to the normal range of stand density treatments:
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 57 • Intensively managed to maximise survival (full stocking), uniformity and shorten time to canopy closure; • Less intensive silviculture to simulate plantation conditions resulting in gaps between trees and less uniform growth.
With respect to process-based modelling the emphasis will be on volume predictions using 3-PG and standard empirical models, particularly with respect to the modelling of CAI. Other aspects of research to be addressed during 2004 are to investigate methodologies to help initialise the model. In addition, parameter sets for Eucalyptus grandis developed here in South Africa, Queensland and Brazil will be compared.
HARVESTING IMPACTS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable forest management is a key objective of the timber industry in South Africa, as is quantifying the potential effects of management on long-term site productivity. With the advent of product certification, this type of information has assumed increasing importance. This project seeks to quantify long-term potential effects on both productivity and the growing environment, and to develop management guidelines to ensure sustainable forestry management over successive rotations. This is achieved by a combination of approaches including re- implementation of treatments in concluded trials, intensive monitoring of selected trials, implementation of new trials with specific goals, analysis of data from PSP’s, and modelling approaches using advanced process-based models. A feature of the project in the future will be a co-ordination function between the Harvesting operations influence physical and nutritional various projects conducting relevant research on properties, and carbon fluxes in forest soils. forest sustainability at the ICFR.
Highlights 2003 » The Zululand trial series examining the effect of old extraction roads on long-term site productivity of hardwoods has been concluded and written up.
» ICFR-FESA hosted a workshop with sponsors highlighting progress in harvesting impacts research, looking at future issues, describing current initiatives and proposing research direction for the future.
» Progress was made in defining a framework for addressing sustainability issues in intensively managed forest plantations, a joint initiative between research programmes at the ICFR.
In order to address the effects of site damage over successive rotations harvesting treatments will be re-implemented at the trial K1 Shafton (established in 1991) following clearfelling during late
Page 58 Annual Research Review 2003 summer 2004. Emphasis will also be placed on implementing new trials studying the effects of soil compaction and organic carbon/ residue gradients on the growth of Pinus patula. A joint study with P.E. Technikon on monitoring of impacts of thinning operations in pine sawtimber rotations, will be conducted in Mpumalanga province. Measurements will also be initiated in these trials to determine the effect of intensive silviculture/harvesting impacts on soil physical quality (PhD project). Continued collaboration with University of Natal/South African Sugar Association Experiment Station with respect to development of vehicle compaction prediction model is also anticipated in 2004.
SITE-SPECIES INTERACTION
Over the years, the prime objective of this project has been to identify potential alternative eucalypt species for low productivity sites in South Africa. These species would then be referred to the ICFR and sponsor company tree improvement programmes for genetic improvement, the ultimate goals being either commercial outplantings of the species using the improved seed, or inclusion of the improved material into company hybrid breeding programmes. In this respect, the project has been highly successful, with a small range of viable alternative temperate species such as E. dunnii, E. badjensis and E. benthamii, and subtropical species such as E. henryi and E. longirostrata currently receiving attention in local (and overseas) breeding programmes. The priorities in the project are under transition however, with the emphasis no longer falling on identifying “new” species, but rather on consolidating and improving existing Correct matching of species to site ensures high information on the site requirements, strengths productivity. and weaknesses of species already identified as promising in past and current ICFR site-species trials. At this stage, no further trials are planned for the short-term. The maintenance and measurement of the existing trials, and timeous reporting on these results will continue.
Highlights 2003 » Existing knowledge on climatic requirements for cold tolerant Eucalyptus species has been summarised and incorporated into a site classification system.
» There has been continued monitoring of the three main trial series.
» The results of the drought tolerant Eucalypt trials were presented in Zululand.
» Mid-altitude site species were assessed, measured, and the results presented.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 59 During 2004 emphasis will be placed on progress reporting at field days particularly with respect to the southern Cape and mid-altitude series trials. The completion of eight year measurements and basic analyses of the fibre-productivity investigation of drought tolerant eucalypt species in Zululand will be conducted during 2004. Results from this research will provide guidelines for pulping tests to be carried out during 2005 and a final write up of this research in 2005. A new trial series is also planned in conjunction with Northern Timbers, Tzaneen.
Collaborative Work Collaborative research between the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and the ICFR Site Species Interaction project continued as follows: • Research into the susceptibility of new cold tolerant eucalypt species to defoliation by the Eucalyptus snout beetle (Gonipterus scutellatus) was carried during the period September 2000 to August 2002. At the time of writing, a joint journal paper on the results was in the final stages of compilation, with submittal being on track for end of November 2003. • Regarding the MSc research project on the susceptibility of new cold tolerant eucalypt species to Phytophthora root-rot fungus, collaboration continued between April 2002 and February 2003.
CORE FUNDING
The change in the funding structure of the ICFR has allowed progress in projects aligned to sponsor needs in specific areas around sustainable silvicultural management which are not funded directly. These include research initiatives such as: • Co-ordinating and developing a core competence on research into sustainable management of intensively managed plantation forests; • Synthesis of data for strategic purposes; • Post-graduate studies; and • Writing peer-reviewed papers and reports.
A feature of the project is the co-ordination of activities in the Plantation Forestry Sustainability Initiative (PFSI), which involves the re- implementation and monitoring of trials from the various research programmes.
Highlights 2003 » A site classification system based on climate has been developed for assessing the productivity of important commercial plantation species.
Forest management practices must » A method for estimating the leaf area index (LAI) of black wattle ensure minimum site damage for (Acacia mearnsii) from Landsat 7 Satellite imagery has also been sustained productivity. developed.
Page 60 Annual Research Review 2003 INNOVATION FUND
The objective of this project is to provide tree growers and strategic land-use planners with a decision-support software tool based on a simple model of physiological processes governing growth and water use in plantation forests. This product will guide growers towards improved plantation management, greater sustainable productivity, and optimal use of water, while assisting strategic planners with comparisons of forest water-use and water-use efficiency with respect to alternative land use options. The main practical uses for the product include: • Improved prediction of growth and yield in existing plantations; • Improved selection of new plantation sites or species/clones; • Identification of site limitations to productivity; • Improved assessment of risks associated with a particular site or forest management practice; • Improved simulations of long-term influences (such as climate change and management practices) on the productivity and sustainability of forests; and • Improved assessment of the hydrological impacts of forest plantations.
Highlights 2003 » A User requirements survey was conducted which involved meeting appropriate product end-users, introducing the concept of process-based modelling of forest stands, gaining clarity on the information needs of growers and obtaining specifications for the decision support products.
» A review of suitable process-based forest models was completed and resulted in the selection of 3-PG as the most appropriate model to meet project objectives.
» Useful model modifications were discussed and are under consideration for incorporation into the 3-PG model.
MENSURATION AND MODELLING RESEARCH CONSORTIUM
Introduction The Mensuration and Modelling Research Consortium (MMRC) project is an initiative by the South African forestry industry, resulting from an agreement between the major timber grower organisations to share information about the growth of the major commercial tree species across the summer rainfall areas of South Africa. The ICFR manages and administers the project on behalf of the MMRC.
The objectives of the MMRC are to: • pool all Permanent Sample Plot (PSPs) and Espacement Trial data in a centralised and mensuration database; • share mensuration research resources; and • co-ordinate mensuration and modelling research through an efficient network of permanent sample plots and spacing trials.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 61 During the past year Mr Bruce Hulett (Mondi Forests) remained as Chairman of the Steering Committee with Mr Nico Hattingh (Sappi) as vice-Chairman. Ms Yvonne Fletcher (Sappi) continued as Chairperson of the Technical Committee. The Steering Committee manages the affairs of the MMRC while the Technical Committee comprises growth and yield modellers and is answerable to the Steering Committee.
Activities of the Consortium have included: • Development and testing of a centralised database for growth and yield data; the database has recently been received from external programming capacity and is currently being tested for implementation in 2004. • Maintaining a network of Permanent Sample Plots (PSPs) for the main commercial forestry species of interest; management of the PSP network is on ongoing. Data from 1818 PSP’s have, to date, been used in growth and yield modeling exercises undertaken by the MMRC Technical Committee. About 1217 PSP’s are currently in the ground representing about 70 % of the total PSPs to be implemented. The allocation of PSPs among the MMRC member companies has been reassessed due to land ownership changes during the last one to two years. To date, only Sappi have achieved their full allocation of PSP’s and Mondi Forests, Global Research in growth modelling and mensuration Forest Products and Komatiland Forests intend enables accurate prediction of final yields from forest achieving their allocation during the next two plantations. to three years. • Facilitation and co-ordination of mensuration and modelling research. This included the following: - a Pinus elliottii growth and yield modelling workshop was held in January; and, - a hands-on workshop was held under the guidance of Jim Flewelling (Seattle, WA, USA) in October, to assess the PSP network and the modelling approaches used by the MMRC Technical Committee. At the workshop, it was noted that there has been a lag in the science of growth and yield modelling; more focus on growth and yield modelling is required; and a similar hands-on but more focussed workshop (dealing with only one or two model components) could be needed in the future. - Data issues raised included very heavy reliance on PSP’s (rather than trials; construction of data sets for growth and yield; error checking of data; and tree level data requirements. - Numerous suggestions to improve the modelling approach currently used were proposed and the Technical Committee will prioritise these according to requirements for model components along with possible collaboration with local process-based and growth and yield modelling resources.
Page 62 Annual Research Review 2003 OUTPUTS
Reports and Papers Campion J C, Esprey L J and du Toit B. 2003. Graduate course on “Measuring and modelling carbon pools and fluxes in forest ecosystems”: A report on the SLU/Wits postgraduate course held in Vindeln, Sweden, 13th-25th July 2003. ICFR Bulletin Series 19/ 2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Dovey S, du Toit B and Smith C W. 2003. Biomass partitioning (allometric relationships) of Black Wattle for 3 site qualities in KwaZulu-Natal. ICFR Bulletin Series 17/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Esprey L J, Sands P J and Smith C W. 2003. Understanding 3-PG using a sensitivity analysis. Forest Ecology and Management (in press). Esprey L J and Sands P J. 2003. Parameterisation of 3-PG for Eucalyptus grandis plantations in the summer rainfall areas of South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 23/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Esprey L J. 2003. A review of process-based forest plantation models and the selection of a model suiting the requirements of the Innovation Fund Project. Report to the Innovation Fund, NRF/DACST. Gardner R A W, Swain T-L and Norris C H. 2003. Eucalypt species and provenance trials in the southern Cape: Results at four years of age. ICFR Bulletin Series 11/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Ghebremicael S, Ahmed F, and Smith C W. 2003. Estimating the leaf area index (LAI) of Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) from Landsat 7 Satellite imagery. ICFR Bulletin Series 07/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Rolando C A, Little K M, du Toit B and Smith C W. 2003. The effect of site preparation and vegetation control on survival, growth and nutrition during re-establishment of Pinus patula. ICFR Bulletin Series 05/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Smith C W. 2003. Does soil compaction on harvesting roads affect long-term productivity of Eucalyptus plantations in Zululand, South Africa? Southern African Journal of Forestry 199:41-54. Smith C W. 2003. Harvesting impacts and sustainability: Report on the workshop held on 18th Auguat 2003. ICFR Bulletin Series 13/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. Smith C W and Dye P J. 2003. Report on a user requirement survey for the Innovation Fund Project “A new decision support software tool for tree growers and water resource managers: Harnessing physiological information to improve productivity and water use assessment of forest plantations.” Report to the Innovation Fund, NRF/DACST. Swain T-L and Gardner R A W. 2003. A summary of current knowledge of cold tolerant eucalypt species (CTE’s) grown in South Africa. ICFR Bulletin Series 03/2003, Pietermaritzburg, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research.
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 63 Workshops and Presentations Forest Site Classification Working Group, 2003. Assessing the productivity of important commercial plantation species in relation to a site classification based on climate. Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 13th August. Gardner R A W. 2003. Drought tolerant Eucalypt species for Zululand. ICFR/Zululand field day, Kwambonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th May. Gardner R A W. 2003. 24-month growth and frost damage assessments in mid-altitude Eucalypt species trials, ICFR Midlands Interest Group Field Day, Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, 8th October. Gardner R A W. 2003. Eucalyptus species options for the Natal Midlands. NCT Field Day, Enon, KwaZulu-Natal, 6th November. Gardner R A W. 2003. Eucalyptus species options for northern KwaZulu- Natal and south eastern Mpumalanga. NCT Field Day, Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, 18th November. Rietz D and Smith C W. 2003. Assessing soil quality as a measure of sustainable forest management practices. ICFR/FESA Harvesting Impacts Workshop, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 13th August. Smith C W. 2003. Harvesting impacts research: How far have we come? ICFR/FESA Harvesting Impacts Workshop, ICFR, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 13th August. Smith C W. 2003. A long time ago in a forest far away. Harvesting impacts research: How far have we come and where to in the future? Mpumulanga Regional Field Day, Jessievale, Mpumalanga, 13th October. Smith C W. 2003. An update on black wattle spacing trials. Wattle Interest Group meeting, Noodsburg Country Club, KwaZulu-Natal, 15th October.
Page 64 Annual Research Review 2003 ICFR Trials
Acacia ...... 66 Eucalypt Tree Improvement ...... 66 Forest Nutrition ...... 68 Re-establishment Research ...... 69 Vegetation Management ...... 69 Coppice Management ...... 70 Ecophysiological Regeneration Research ...... 70 Forest Productivity ...... 70 Harvesting Impact ...... 70 Mensuration ...... 70 Land Preparation ...... 71 Site-species Interaction ...... 71 Site-species Productivity...... 71
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 65 estroyed by fire Area2.700 Status 3.0001.0001.600 Current 1.100 Current 0.200 Current 0.600 Current 0.400 Current 0.500 Current 0.810 Felled 1.000 Felled 0.600 Felled 0.600 Current 0.800 Current 0.300 Current 0.300 Current 0.500 Current 0.350 Felled 3.000 Felled 0.600 Current 1.000 D 1.000 Current 1.000 Current 0.600 Current 2.000 Current 0.800 Current 1.100 Current 0.900 Current 1.700 Current 0.700 Current 0.800 Current 2.000 Current 0.450 Current 1.200 Current 0.700 Felled 0.500 Current 0.250 Current 0.300 Current 1.430 Current 2.100 Current 1.160 Current 1.300 Current 1.100 Current Current Current 1.380 Current 1.2002.0001.500 Current 2.000 Current 1.500 Current 2.800 Current 2.000 Current 1.700 Current 1.360 Current Current Current Current Acacia Acacia A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii E. badjensis A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii Mix A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. dealbata A. mearnsii A. decurrens A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii E. badjensis E. badjensis E. badjensis E. badjensis E. badjensis E. badjensis E. benthamii E. benthamii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii E. badjensis Finish2005 2005 2005 2010 2005 2003 (ha) 2015 2009 2006 2015 Plant Date Year Species 19/11/2002 2013 17/01/2001 2011 ill, E04 24/01/1996 D29b 26/11/2002 2013 pringbank, n/a 14/10/1998 2018 evreden, 328 05/02/1999 Compartment Bloemendal, 3c 9001Mistley. 9001Mistley, Sutton. M27Sutton. M27 15/01/1993 F47Seele’s, 24/02/1994 25/01/1994 F12bShafton, Enon, A05 06/12/1995 06/12/1995 89Harden Heights, 09/01/1996 Sutton, P12Claridge, T10 17/02/1998 01/05/1999 19/01/1999 06/12/1999 14/01/2000 C04 Mistley, 2009 2010 Enon, C06Hlelo, D2 29/11/2002Leiden, 907 2013 12/12/2000 2011 24/10/1995 Mason n/a Holmelacy, 12/12/1994 2003 Company Plantation Piet Retief Mun Townlands 18/01/1995Hilton College 2005 Mix Hilton College, n/a 23/03/2000 2010 Trial Number Trial A30/97/PS011 Mondi Boscombe, C22 04/03/1997 2015 Acacia A 2/72/PSO5A 3/73/PSO5EA 4/73/PSO6A 5/80/PSO7A 6/85/PSO8A10/93/WW1A11/94/BSO5 SAWGUA12/94/BSO9 SAWGUA13/94/BSO4 SAWGUA17/95/F1 SAWGUA18/95/SP2 SAWGUA21/95/BSO6 SAWGU A22/95/BSO8 Mondi A23/95/A34 Mondi A24/96/BSO3 J A25/96/BSO7 Bloemendal, 2b Bloemendal, 2cA26/96/PSO9 G ReinstorfA28/96/BSO10 Bloemendal, 2b Sappi Bloemendal, 2b Sappi A31/97/SP3 Bloemendal, 3bA32/98/PSO10 SAWGU MondiA34/98/PSO13 Mondi A35/99/PSO14 SAWGUA36/99/PS015 MondiA37/99/CVS1 43 Ebenezer, A38/99/CVS2 10/02/1972 10/03/1973 A39/99/CVS3 Sappi SAWGUA40/00/CVS4 Liesegang 10/03/1973 A41/00/PSO16 NCT 10/01/1980 Bloemendal, 22bA42/00/A35 13/03/1985 CTC D09A43/00/CVS5 Blinkwater, SAWGUA44/01/SP4 Bloemendal, 3f UCL A45/01/PSO17 Greenh Sappi A46/01/SP5 Liesegang A47/01/A36 Mondi Bloemendal, 20a S 17/01/1995 A48/02/A37A49/02/PLO1 MondiA50/02/ROO1A51/02/A38 SAWGU 13/12/1995 SappiA52/02/A39 Bloemendal, 21E T 09/01/1996A53/02/A40 SAWGUA54/02/A41 19/01/1996 2005 SAWGUA55/02/A42 SAWGU SAWGU 2003 SAWGU 118 Speenkoppies, Improvement Eucalypt Tree 17/04/1997 2016 C1/94/BAD.PAU SAWGU Vlakkloof, B144C1/94/BAD.WOO Mondi Bloemendal, 2a 2007 C12/02/GB.SAR SAWGU Clairmont, B13aC12/03/GB.GLE 16/04/1999 Sappi Bloemendal, 11aC2/00/BAD.HLE NCT Bloemendal, 25aC2/00/BAD.SAR CTC Bloemendal, 29aC2/01/BAD.BBS Bloemendal, 29a Sappi 2009 01/02/2000 Bloemendal, 29aC2/01/BAD.CLA NCTC1/95/BEN.MOS Mondi Bloemendal, 20bC1/95/BEN.PAN Sappi 02/02/2000 NCT Bloemendal, 28c 27/02/2001 Mondi 12/01/2001 Sappi Liff, 27/02/2001 Sappi 2010 11/12/2001 2031 CTC 07/02/2002 12/02/2002 2003 Geluk 6a W Woodstock, 2011 25/04/2002 2011 Sarsden, C07 12/11/2002 2012 Glen Eagle 2007 2012 22/11/2002 Sarsden 2013 16 B.B.S Hardy, Clairmont B13a Mossbank, M19a 2013 08/02/1994 2003 11/02/2002 14/12/1994 17/03/2003 2015 01/01/2001 10/10/1995 2004 2013 08/12/2000 2011 2005 2011
Page 66 Annual Research Review 2003 stroyed by fire Current Area(ha) 1.0301.360 Status 0.6600.800 Current 1.500 Current 1.500 Current 1.400 Current 1.200 Current 1.200 Current 1.950 Current 1.500 Current 1.000 Current 1.000 Current 1.220 Current 0.700 Current 1.000 Current 1.300 Current 2.090 Current 2.470 Current 3.280 Current 9.000 Current Current Current De 2.500 Current 2.7703.4001.0000.850 Current 1.200 Current Completed Current Current 1.2001.0001.0001.000 Current 1.500 Current 1.800 Current 1.200 Current 1.200 Current 1.500 Current 2.490 Current 2.430 Current 1.750 Current 4.670 Current 3.500 Current 1.000 Current 1.200 Current 1.000 Current 1.000 Completed 3.460 Completed Completed Completed Current 5.0001.700 Current Current 1.7500.7000.7500.700 Felled in error 0.750 Current 0.700 Current 0.750 Current 0.700 Current Current Current Current E. biturbinata E. biturbinata E. cypellocarpa E. dunnii E. dunnii E. benthamii E. benthamii E. bicostata E. bicostata E. bicostata E. bicostata E. biturbinata E. cypellocarpa E. cypellocarpa E. cypellocarpa E. dorrigoensis E. dorrigoensis E. dorrigoensis E. dunnii E. dunnii E. dunnii E. dunnii E. dunnii E. elata E. fastigata E. fastigata E. fraxinoides E. globulus, nitens E. globulus, nitens E. macarthurii E. henryi E. henryi E. henryi E. henryi E. longirostrata E. longirostrata E. longirostrata E. longirostrata E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii 2008 2008 2005 2020 2002 2005 2001 2003 2004 2003 2003 1/09/2001 2011 1/09/2001 2011 Finish 07/12/200103/11/1998 2015 2008 29/11/1994 2004 06/05/1998 2008 26/11/199326/11/1993 2003 2003 A21b ia, E35 15/03/1985 ain Home, B10B 17/01/1991 oodifield Plantation Plant Date Year Species Windy Gap, C 6 04/12/1997 2007 Golden Reef, MA 61 1 Jessievale, E51 21/02/1984 2010 bal Forest Products Aardt, 42 Amsterdam Van 23/01/1987 Compartment Company Private (Creydt) Watervaldrift, B20 18/01/1994 Private (Creydt) Watervaldrift, B45 14/12/1994 Trial Number Trial C8/97/GB.MTN Mondi Home, C30 Mountain 17/04/1997 2020 C1/95/BEN.WOOC2/95/BEN.UTRC1/97/BIC.WINC3/98/BIC.ENOC3/98/BIC.PETC3/98/BIC.SPE SappiC1/01/BIT.MTN MondiC1/98/BIT.HIL SappiC1/98/BIT.SPE NCTC1/97/CYP.WIN SappiC1/99/CYP.PET MondiC1/99/CYP.PET MondiC2/99/CYP.SPEC1/97/DOR.EPS NCT MondiC2/99/DOR.BUR Sappi 6b W Woodstock, C2/99/DOR.HLE SappiC1/88/DUN.KIA Pivaanspoort, B14b SappiC2/94/DUN.BAB Mondi Windy Gap, C 6C2/94/DUN.HLE Sappi Enon, B16C2/94/DUN.MAY Private (Eggars) F14 Petrusvlei, C2/94/DUN.VLA 48 Speenkoppies, SappiA06 Home, Mountain Mondi Mondi 21/10/1995 87 Speenkoppies, Sappi Hilton College, 66 31/10/1995 Mondi 0007 Burntop, Derby, F14 Petrusvlei, Private (Creydt) F14 Petrusvlei, 2005 85 Speenkoppies, 04/12/1997 2006 B26 Epsom, 17/11/1998 28/10/1998 Hlelo, E39 2007 29/10/1998 Kia_Ora, I 5 Watervaldrift, 590 Kamp, C29 Harts 18/11/1998 2008 08/12/1999 2008 Hlelo, Maybole 24/11/1999 2008 2009 14/12/1999 28/10/1998 2010 2009 11/12/1997 2009 14/12/1994 07/12/1994 07/12/1999 2007 13/01/1988 2004 2009 2005 05/12/1994 2004 CPR/91/DUN.PSO Mondi Piet Retief Mondi Nursery, 26/11/1991 CMH/91/ELA.PSO Mondi Mount C3/85/FAS.HELCGG/92/FAS.DORC1/85/FRA.DASC2/98/GLO.JONC2/98/GLO.WOO Sappi Sappi Global Forest Products NCT NCT19 Daspoort, Helvet 3b Dorsbult, A Jonkersberg W 13/02/1985 2005 04/02/1992 2001 05/05/1998 2008 C1/01/HEN.MELC1/01/HEN.NYAC1/01/HEN.SALC1/01/HEN.TEZC1/01/LON.MELC1/01/LON.NYA Mondi C1/01/LON.SAL SappiC1/01/LON.TEZ SappiC1/84/MAC.JES MondiC2/87/MAC.AMS MondiC2/89/MAC.WOO SappiC3/88/MAC.JAG SappiC7/95/GB.KLI MondiCGG/91/MAC.HLE KLF CGG/91/MAC.MAX Glo SappiCGG/92/MAC.DORCGG/92/MAC.HEL D15 Erlandson Estate, Global Forest ProductsCP1/93/MAC.PIN Salpine, F6 SappiCP1/94/MAC.VLA TH 19 Teza, Sappi Global Forest Products Golden Reef, MA 61 Jaglust, SappiJ30 D15 Erlandson Estate, Sappi Salpine, F6 Klipkraal, R22 TH Sappi19 Teza, 30/08/2001 W58 Woodstock, 2011 1 30/08/2001 Hlelo, E59b Maxwell, I5 23/08/2001 Dorsbult, A3b 16/08/2001 Helvetia, B27b 2011 22/01/1988 2011 Pinewoods, B13 01/03/1995 2011 23/08/2001 16/08/2001 14/02/1989 2005 2020 2011 2011 2003 11/12/1991 18/12/1991 04/02/1992 21/01/1992 09/12/1993 2001 2001 2001 2003 CP2/94/MAC.PINCP2/94/MAC.VLA Sappi Pinewoods, B16b 09/12/1994 2004 CS1/93/MAC.NATCS1/93/MAC.TVLCS2/93/MAC.NATCS2/93/MAC.TVLCS3/93/MAC.NAT SappiCS3/94/MAC.TVL SappiCS4/93/MAC.NAT Sappi Sappi Sappi Global Forest Products Sappi The Brook, 8d Comrie, A21b W 6a Woodstock, Comrie, A21b W 6b Woodstock, Maxwell, I11 Maxwell, I11 27/01/1994 09/12/1993 24/11/1993 06/12/1993 2003 24/11/1993 2003 2003
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 67 Area0.7500.700 Status 0.7500.700 Current 0.750 Current 0.700 Current 0.750 Current 0.700 Current 0.750 Current 0.750 Current 0.750 Current 0.750 Current 0.750 Current 2.500 Current 2.000 Current 2.080 Current 2.420 Current 1.410 Current 1.410 Current 1.000 Current 3.110 Current 3.110 Current 0.500 Current 8.000 Current 0.500 Current 2.000 Current 2.000 Competed 0.700 Current 0.500 Current 0.500 Felled in error 0.500 Current 0.500 Current 0.220 Current 0.220 Current 2.000 Current 2.000 Completed 2.000 Current 1.500 Current 2.200 Current 2.000 Current 0.800 Current 1.000 Current 0.500 Current 2.500 Current 1.730 Current 1.400 Current 2.850 Current 1.440 Current 0.800 Current Current Current Current 1.6001.1001.1002.180 Current Current Current Current hybrids E. grandis x E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nobilis E. smithii E. smithii E. smithii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii E. macarthurii, nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nitens E. nobilis E. nobilis patula P. E. nitens E. nitens taeda P. Finish2003 2005 (ha) 2020 2006 2006 2020 Mix2016 4.500 Current Plant Date Year Species 19/03/198502/02/199421/01/1988 2005 02/02/1992 2020 29/03/1988 2005 14/12/1992 2020 01/12/1992 2005 25/11/1992 2002 2002 2002 04/11/199906/04/200020/02/2001 2005 05/02/2001 2005 27/01/1999 2011 02/02/1999 2011 2009 02/03/1999 2009 2020 19/02/1998 2020 A22a oodstock, 4A 22/02/2001 2011 Compartment Gowan Brae, D45aWindy Gap, C 6 F003Prosperity, Frischgewaagd 14/04/1998 2010 02/12/1997 17/03/1987 2007 18/01/1989 2004 2005 Company Plantation Trial Number Trial CS4/94/MAC.TVLCS5/93/MAC.NATCS5/93/MAC.TVLCS6/93/MAC.NATCS6/93/MAC.TVL Global Forest ProductsCS7/93/MAC.NAT SappiCS7/93/MAC.TVL SappiCS8/93/MAC.NAT11a SappiBrook, The CS8/93/MAC.TVL SappiCS9/93/MAC.NAT SappiCS9/93/MAC.TVL SappiCSX/93/MAC.NAT SappiCSX/93/MAC.TVL SappiCVG/92/MAC.PSO MondiC2/95/GB.LR SappiC1/82/NIT.AMS Sutton, S 1 MondiC1/82/NIT.JES Dorsbult, C83 SappiC3/85/NIT.DAS Sutton, S 1 CTC 27/01/1994C3/85/NIT.HEL Dorsbult, C76C3/92/GB.WES Pinewoods, B13C5/88/NIT.JAG Helvetia, E17c Sappi Global Forest Products 2003 C5/88/NIT.WOO Pinewoods, B13C5/93/GB.GOE KLF Helvetia, E17c Global Forest ProductsC6/88/NIT.BAB Mistley 33bAardt, Amsterdam Van C6/94/GB.BLY Sappi Helvetia, E17c MondiC7/92/NIT.ART Mistley19 Daspoort, C7/92/NIT.GOE Global Forest Products Helvetia, C19 Sappi 30/11/1993C7/92/NIT.PIN 15/07/1993 Gunst, 604 Vrye Global Forest ProductsCF/96/NIT.BLY 30/11/1993 30/11/1993CF/96/NIT.ELA Private Jaglust, J30 10/12/1993 14/12/1982 CF/96/NIT.GOW 2003 Forest Products Global 2003 Lions River Est, H13 08/12/1993 Goedehoop, 30/11/1993CF/96/NIT.MOS Sappi Global Forest ProductsCF2/99/NIT.ISA 2003 2003 2003 Jessievale, E51 08/12/1993CF3/99/NIT.ISA Blyfstaanhoogte, N35A Sappi Helvetia, E35 2003 CGG/01/NIT.LIO Forest Products Global C29 2003 Westfield, 08/12/1993A22a Goedehoop, CGG/01/NIT.LOT Mondi Sappi 2003 CGG/01/NIT.SAR Lochleven, L13b 15/12/1993 18/01/1985 Sappi CP1/99/NIT.GIL Blyfstaanhoogte, M46 08/12/1993 10/12/1991 TWK 2003 CP1/99/NIT.IDD Argyle, A30 10/02/1992 15/12/1993 TWKCP1/99/NIT.LEB 2003 Mondi 2005 GX/98/GB.GOW 01/03/1994 2020 Sappi Arthur’s Seat, 28B GXI/99/NIT.LEB NCT 2020 2003 C1/87/NxG.WES 08/12/1982 Mondi Pinewoods, B16a C1/97/NOB.BEN 2020 Global Forest ProductsC1/97/NOB.WIN 25/04/1996 SappiTentkop Heights, Eland’s C1/99/NOB.LOT Gowan Brae, D45a 2005 Sappi 11/02/1988C1/87/SMI.BAB Mossbank, M 6 Sappi In De Diepte, M21 C1/89/SMI.FRI Mondi Isabelladale, 2 G9/98/GB.MTN Mondi 2005 Isabelladale, 2 C4/92/GB.PR Lions Glen Sappi W Sappi 21/02/1996 Forest Nutrition Sarsden C07 Mondi C.58 Mt. Gilboa, C05A C.59 CTC 21/02/1996 MondiC.60 Mt. Lebanon, E25C.64 Mondi 07/02/1996 Mt. Lebanon, 4A 2006 C28 Westfield, The Bends, B004 4A Lothair, Mondi Mondi 03/02/1999 Home, C30 Mountain Mondi Kusel & Sons Piet Retief Mondi Nursery, 2009 1987 13/11/1997 2007 01/02/1989 K400 Fern Pool, 5766 Tree Grove, Honey 09/12/1999 2003 Fern Pool, 5766 Tree Fern Pool, 5766 Tree 2015 13/11/1990 19/03/1991 14/11/1990 14/11/1990 2012 2002 2002
Page 68 Annual Research Review 2003 Area1.4201.260 Status 0.7501.000 Completed 13.840 Completed 1.700 Current 0.750 Current 1.700 Current 2.800 Current Current Current Current 1.2001.800 Current Current 2.7002.7002.3302.330 Current 2.330 Completed 2.330 Completed 2.330 Completed 1.500 Completed 2.000 Completed 2.000 Completed 3.000 Current 3.280 Current 0.520 Current 1.400 Current 1.120 Current 1.060 Current 0.620 Current 1.000 Current 1.630 Current 1.080 Current 5.000 Current 3.600 Current Current Current Current 0.6700.7700.7200.750 Current 0.900 Current 0.900 Current 0.750 Current Current Current 0.700 Current Current 0.9701.1001.500 Current Current Current 2.0000.800 Current Current 2.5001.000 Current Current 0.7000.7004.3000.540 Current Current Current Current 2.000 Current E. camaldulensis E. camaldulensis E. camaldulensis E. urophylla E. camaldulensis E. camaldulensis E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla x x x x x x x x x x P. caribaea P. x x E. grandis, A. mearnsii E. grandis, tecunumanii P. E. grandis E. grandis elliottii P. greggii P. patula P. patula P. E. grandis E. grandis P. patula P. patula P. E. grandis A. mearnsii E. grandis patula P. taeda elliottii, P. P. patula, P. E. grandis elliottii P. E. dunnii E. grandis patula P. patula P. patula P. patula P. patula P. taeda P. elliottii P. patula P. taeda P. E. grandis E. grandis E. dunnii E. dunnii patula P. E. grandis patula P. E. grandis E. grandis elliotti P. taeda, P. patula, P. taeda elliottii, P. P. patula, P. P. greggii P. patula P. elliottii P. P. elliottii P. E. grandis P. patula P. elliottii P. E. macarthurii elliottii P. patula, P. patula P. E. nitens E. grandis Finish2000 2015 2025 (ha) 2005 2005 2010 Plant Date Year Species 03/02/1999 2049 03/1995 2015 04/09/1997 2010 07/06/2001 2008 03/09/1997 2010 13/08/1998 2028 24/10/1998 2028 A39B A70B fontein, 15a 07/01/1999 2010 skop, B61 01/10/1995 2025 Southern Areas, D7 03/10/2001 weefontein, X56 01/10/1995 2025 Compartment Blyde, A56 Home, B22a Mountain Longridge, D27bBloemendal, 11 F02cRattrays Estate, Mossbank, M6 06/01/2000 2030 07/07/1995 Home, B22a Mountain 07/03/1994 2002 25/10/1995 2004 2010 Clan William, T9Clan William, 30/12/1994 2004 Longridge, N36 15/07/1997 2027 Draycott, E30Sjonajona, A09Gilboa, D05B 29/01/1999 12/12/2000 08/2000 2025 bal Forest Products Driekop, C25b 23/02/2000 2030 Company Plantation SAFCOL Kwambonambi, F15B 22/08/1996 2021 Zenith EstatesSAFCOL Field 8 Zenith Estates, Kwambonambi, F22B 27/03/1996 2001 23/08/1996 2021 SAFCOLSAFCOLSAFCOL Dargle, C16c Bergvliet, B94 Bergvliet, 29/05/1997 30/11/1996 2022 2015 SAFCOL Blyde, Trial Number Trial C.82C.87C95/91C99/94CSP 1F101/94F102/94F103/95F104/95F105/95 Mondi Mondi Global Forest Products Global Forest Products Sappi SAFCOL Rhenosterhoek, F19 Global Forest Products Blyfstaanhoogte, N36 Mondi Northern Timbers Elandsdrift, SAFCOL K32 Mtunzini, Q14 Rattrays, L40 Boshoek, B39 10/1991 N14b Tweefontein, 09/1994 Shafton, D17 Rosehaugh, A1 2010 2015 12/1994 06/06/1994 11/1994 13/06/1994 2015 02/1995 2000 01/1995 2015 W128/96-6 W133/96 Mondi F106/95F109/90F111/91F117/91F119/92F121/92F124/92F126/96F127/96 SappiF129/95 SAFCOLF131/96 SAFCOLF132/96 SAFCOLF133/96 SAFCOLF134/96 SAFCOLF135/97 Global Forest ProductsF136/97 SappiF139/97 SAFCOLF140/98 Maggsleigh, SappiD19F141/98 Witklip, B39 Glenthorpe, E62 SappiPM01/00 Brooklands, E23a SappiPM02/00 Witklip, F13 Sappi Belfast, B1 Sappi Research Re-establishment Jessievale, A98 Sappi Management Vegetation MondiSE 26 Global Forest ProductsW104/S88/94 Witklip, H8 Ndubazi, A11 SappiW111/95-1 SAFCOL 08/1992W114/95-6 Clan, Z10 Glo Driekop, B13c 04/1995 09/1991W118/95-1 Salpine, E5 Mondi W119/95-2 08/1990 Palm Ridge, BE12W124/96-3 D10 Liff, W127/96-7 09/1991 D10 2013 Liff, SAWGU 09/1992 2010 Pinewoods, B9a 2011 09/1992 Nyalazi, ND21B 2010 Mondi Mondi W134/96 Sappi Nyalazi, R12 Salpine, F3 2011 SAFCOL 02/1996 2015 02/1996 SAFCOL 2015 08/08/1996 20/09/1997 30/11/1995 24/07/1996 2012 2026 2004 2020 17/02/1997 Mondi 2020 2004 31/10/1996TH21A 01/09/1997 Teza, 29/10/1996 T 2015 Spit 2006 01/07/1998 21/04/1998 2006 2005 W140/97 W142/96 W147/97 W149/98W150/98 Sappi W151/98W152/99 Mondi NCT Twee W154/99W160/00W161/01W162/01 Masonite Mondi Mondi Sappi KT
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 69 . Current .0.8101.2962.200 Current Current Current Current . Current Area3.0002.500 Status . Current Current Current 3.3001.200 Current 1.0000.6002.200 Current 2.200 Current 2.500 Current Current Current Current 1.5001.5001.8001.800 Current 4.650 Current 7.000 Completed 3.000 Completed Abandoned Current . Current ..0.6300.2900.790 Current 0.790 Current Current 0.400 Current Current 0.400 Current 1.000 Current 0.400 Current 0.400 Current 1.000 Current 1.000 Current 0.400 Current 0.400 Current 1.000 Current Current Current Current 1.0001.0000.600. Current Current Current Current C C x x . Current . Current U, G U, G x x E. camaldulensis E. nitens E. camaldulensis E. camaldulensis E. camaldulensis E. camaldulensis E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. urophylla E. teriticornis E. urophylla x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x P. patula P. E. macarthurii E. grandis E. grandis P. elliottii P. elliottii P. E. grandis E. grandis E. grandis taeda P. patula P. E. grandis E. grandis patula P. patula P. patula P. patula P. P. patula P. E. macarthurii E. grandis E. grandis E. grandis, G E. grandis, G radiata elliottii, P. P. patula P. E. grandis A. mearnsii A. mearnsii A. mearnsii E. grandis E. smithii E. macarthurii E. nitens E. grandis E. nitens E. grandis E. grandis x camaldulensis E. grandis E. dunnii E. grandis E. dunnii E. grandis E. grandis E. grandis E. grandis E. nitens 2003 Finish1999 2010 2010 (ha) 2001 2004 2005 2000 2005 2006 01/02/200001/07/2000 2008 2008 01/08/2003 19/11/1996 2001 20/11/1997 2012 08/07/1994 2004 rust, E12 10/2003 eza, H47eza, TH39 02/10/1996 Linwood, C16 23/10/2003 2006 Hlelo, 15AMavuya, B27 23/11/1999Oaklands, RF02C 2010 26/08/2003 2010 Plantation Plant Date Year Species Compartment Clan, H25Nxcalu, D14 07/11/2001 23/11/2001 A056 30/07/2003 2010 Briar Mains, B02bNyalazi, D13A Nyalazi, D07C 29/12/1992 2004 15/05/1995 Umvoti Wattle Este, C01bUmvoti Wattle 24/09/1998 2008 imbers Manaan, B97 Van 28/11/1996 bal Forest ProductsC16 Hebron, 16/10/2003 2006 Company W179/03W180/03 Mondi Glo Coppice Management W126/96-5W155/99W156/00W157/00 Mondi Sappi Sappi MondiW175/03 T T Mondi Trial Number Trial W163/01W164/01W165/02W176/03 Sappi Mondi SappiEcophysiological Regeneration Research Sappi 8SP SP 95/13SP 96/03SP 97/01SP 97/02SP 98/01W174/03 T J9 KT, Mondi Global Forest Products Mondi Global Forest Products Sappi Blyfstaanhoogte, N32 Sappi Hendriksdal, B40 SQF Klipkraal, R08 G5b London, 10/11/1993B12 Forests, Usutu B13 Forests, Usutu 07/01/1997 2020 19/12/1996 13/10/1995 Forest Productivity Harvesting Impact K 1/91/E 2/93/EK K 3/94/E 4/94/EK K 5/96/R.PRE 6/96/PK K 7/97/R.GCMensuration SappiASPAC3 SappiASPAC4 SAFCOL SappiASPAC5 SappiM 6/90/1 MondiM 7/90/2 SappiM10/92/1M11/92/2M12/93/1M15/94/1 SAWGUM16/94/2 F11a Shafton, Sappi Bluelilliesbush, E58D11M19/94/4 Crofton, Willie GeversM20/95/1 South Areas, A19 Baynesfield EstatesJ23A M21/95/2 KT, SappiM22/95/3 MondiZTTRG48 Rattray’s, M23/95/4 Usutu, W1 Mondi M25/96/1 Sappi Baynesfield Estate, n/aM26/97/2 Sappin/aM27/96/2 Bloemendal, 10bTimbers, Friedham Mondi 01/04/1997 Sappi Cawood, D21a Sappi 11/11/1991 03/06/1994 Mondi 15/11/1993 2020 Chennels 26/05/1997 Wondergeluk, N4 Sappi 22/02/1990 Welverdient. 901 Sappi 2003 10/10/2001 15/07/1994 Sappi W06B Woodstock, Northern T 10/04/1996 Palm Ridge, B11 28/10/2000 2016 2003 Riverbend, A4 C7 KT, 2016 23/11/2000 Bushlands, B11 2015 10/12/1990 Hodgsons, n/a 04/02/1992 2015 Futululu, A12 13/10/1993 Hlelo, B35 2000 21/04/1994 2002 2003 2004 27/10/1994 05/07/1995 2004 25/04/1995 01/09/1995 2005 05/06/1996 2005 2005 22/02/1997 2006 2007 M29/97/3M30/98M31/00/1 Mondi Mondi Mondi Rattrays, RC005 Gilboa 22/07/1997 2007
Page 70 Annual Research Review 2003 Burned down Area1.100 Status 1.6201.6201.540 Completed 1.540 Completed 1.540 Completed Completed Completed Completed 1.5400.6001.0000.600 Completed 1.200 Completed 0.760 Completed Completed Current 1.000 Completed 1.0002.0602.060 Current Current Current Current 1.6001.6001.6001.500 Current 1.500 Current Current Current Current 1.5001.900 Current 1.900 Current 1.250 Current 1.2501.2501.250 Current 1.250 Current 1.500 Current 1.500 Current 1.250 Current 1.250 Current 1.250 Current 1.250 Current 1.250 Abandoned 1.250 Current Completed Current 1.2501.2501.2501.250 Current 1.250 Abandoned 1.250 Current 1.250 Current 1.250 Current 1.250 Current Current Abandoned Current Acacia Acacia Acacia Acacia Acacia Acacia E. camaldulensis x lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, lypts, Pines lypts, lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, Pines lypts, E. grandis, A. mearnsii, P. elliottii A. mearnsii, P. E. grandis, A. mearnsii E. nitens E. grandis E. nitens patula P. P. patula P. A. mearnsii, E. dunnii E. grandis, E. grandis Mix Eucalypts Mix Eucalypts E. grandis E dunnii elliottii P. Mix Eucalypts Mix Eucalypts Mix Eucalypts, Mix Eucalypts, Mix Eucalypts, Mix Eucalypts, Mix Eucalypts, Mix Eucalypts, Mix Eucalypts .Mix Eucalypts .Mix Eucalypts Mix Eucalypts Current Current Finish (ha) 2003 2000 2002 2006 20162015 Euca Mix Euca Mix 20162016 Euca Mix Euca Mix 30/10/1990 2000 31/10/1990 2005 24/09/1992 2002 01/02/2001 2011 07/12/1995 2016 Euca Mix sberg, north 06/05/1998 2008 Plantation Plant Date Year Species Compartment Baynesfield, ST1104Baynesfield, ST1104 C07E Funeray, 05/03/1990 05/03/1990 2000 2000 Crofton, E10BCrofton, Draycott, D8bDraycott, D4Eteza, H25 J18False Bay, A6Palm Ridge, 21/11/1991 2001 01/03/1990 28/02/1990 14/05/1992 13/05/1992 18/06/1996 2002 2002 Bushlands, D02Manzengwenya, L20 Field 5Mkuze Estate, Jonkersberg, south 19/06/1996 22/07/1996 19/08/1996 05/05/1998 2006 2006 2006 2008 Dunstanborough, EQ1A Rooipooit, D35 22/02/2001 2011 Highflats, B09Highflats, Eersteling, 0078 08/02/2001 14/02/2001 2011 2011 Company Trial Number Trial Land Preparation T13/89/E.EGT15/90.R.EWPT16/90/R.WT18/90/E.ET19/90/E.PPT20/90/E.ET21/90/E.EP SAWGU Mondi Mondi Mondi Mondi Mondi Mondi Bloemendal, 27/30 Glen Cullen, B06 Glen Cullen, B01A C07C Funeray, 20/10/1989 1999 31/10/1990 30/10/1990 2005 2000 T24/91/R.ET25/91/R.EWT27/92/R.EGT29/93/E.EDT30/93/PESite-Species Interaction S28/90 Sappi Sappi S29/90 MondiS33/92 SappiS34/92S35/96 Mondi Masonite Masonite E10B Crofton, Mondi TH21A Teza, Chennels Mill - Umkomaas, n/a Sappi E19C Killarney, 06/12/1994 20/11/1991 2003 2001 28/03/1993 S36/96S37/96S38/96S39/98S40/98 Chennels DWAF Senekal NCT NCT Jonker S42/01S43/01 Sappi Mondi S41/01S44/01Site-Species Productivity 1SSP. 2SSP. 4SSP. 5SSP. Masonite 6SSP. 7SSP. 8SSP. Mondi 9SSP. SSP.10SSP.12 SappiSSP.13 SappiSSP.14 SappiSSP.15 Mondi SAFCOL Mondi Mondi SAFCOL SAFCOL Mondi Glendale, D21 Mondi C16 Shafton, Mondi Epsom, B32 Mondi Weza, G27EHope Good FO4 Ncalu, Kwambonambi, C17 Mtunzini, Q20 Nyalazi, D4 Babanango, C29 Fernleas, ND07 06/03/1996 B14b Albany, 15 03/05/1995 Toverton, 13/04/1995 2016 14/12/1996 17/05/1995 23/11/1995 Euca Mix 2016 13/12/1995 07/05/1996 2016 2016 16/05/1995 18/12/1996 Euca Mix Euca Mix Euca Mix 2015 2016 15/05/1995 Euca Mix Euca Mix 2016 06/12/1995 Mix Euca 2016 Mix Euca SSP.17 Mondi Ingwempisi, B4 11/12/1996 2016Euca Mix SSP.18SSP.19SSP.21SSP.23SSP.24SSP.25SSP.26SSP.27 SAFCOL SAFCOL Sappi Sappi Global Forest Products Mondi SAFCOL Waterhoutboom, SAFCOLH13 Jessievale, A59 Nelshoogte, G2b Rust, F59A Frantzina’s A15 Venus, X46c Tweefontein, 16/01/1996 Sabie, Q38 Belfast, E11 2016 06/12/1996 18/01/1996 30/11/1995 Mix Euca 2016 2016 2016 12/1996 Euca Mix 15/01/1996 Mix Euca Euca Mix 04/12/1996 17/01/1996 2006 2016 2016 Mix Euca 2016Euca Mix Mix Euca Euca Mix
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 71 Summary of Current Trials
Species Trial Category Trial Type No. Total Trials Area (ha) EUCALYPTS E dunnii Forest Productivity Land Preparation 1 1.200 E. badjensis Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 7 13.380 E. benthamii Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 4 5.450 E. bicostata Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 4 4.460 E. biturbinata Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 3 3.800 E. cypellocarpa Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 3 4.450 E. dorrigoensis Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 3 2.920 E. dunnii Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 7 12.540 E. dunnii Forest Nutrition 2 2.520 E. dunnii Forest Productivity Mensuration 2 1.400 E. dunnii Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 0.700 E. elata Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 1 2.770 E. fraxinoides Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 1 0.850 E. globulus, E. nitens Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 2 2.400 E. grandis Forest Nutrition 1 2.800 E. grandis Forest Productivity Harvesting Impact 2 3.000 E. grandis Forest Productivity Land Preparation 2 1.700 E. grandis Forest Productivity Mensuration 1 0.630 E. grandis Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 2 2.800 E. grandis x E. camaldulensis Forest Nutrition 2 1.700 E. grandis x E. camaldulensis Forest Productivity Harvesting impact 1 3.000 E. grandis x E. camaldulensis Forest Productivity Mensuration 3 3.000 E. grandis x E. camaldulensis Re-establishment Research Coppice Management 2 4.110 E. grandis x E. camaldulensis Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 3 2.140 E. grandis x E. nitens Forest Productivity Mensuration 1 0.600 E. grandis x E. teriticornis Forest Productivity Mensuration 1 1.000 E. grandis x E. urophylla Forest Nutrition 4 7.130 E. grandis x E. urophylla Forest Productivity Mensuration 4 2.200 E. grandis x E. urophylla Re-establishment Research Coppice Management 1 2.200 E. grandis x E. urophylla Re-establishment Research Ecophysio Regen Res 2 E. grandis x E. urophylla Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 2 E. grandis, A. mearnsii, E. dunnii Forest Productivity Land Preparation 1 1.000 E. grandis, A. mearnsii Forest Nutrition 1 13.840 E. grandis, A. mearnsii, P. elliottii Forest Productivity Land Preparation 1 1.620 E. grandis, GxU, GxC Forest Productivity Harvesting Impact 2 3.600 E. henryi Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 4 4.500 E. longirostrata Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 4 5.700 E. macarthurii Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 30 44.020 E. macarthurii Forest Productivity Mensuration 2 1.580 E. macarthurii Re-establishment Research Coppice Management 1 1.296 E. macarthurii Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 0.700 E. macarthurii, E. nitens Eucalyptus tree improvement Tree Breeding 1 2.000 E. nitens Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 25 31.560 E. nitens Forest Nutrition 2 2.200 E. nitens Forest Productivity Mensuration 3 0.800 E. nitens Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 0.700 E. nitens x E. grandis hybrids Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 1 E. nobilis Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 3 5.630 E. smithii Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 3 4.290 E. smithii Forest Productivity Mensuration 1 0.290 Eucs (ha) 222.176
Page 72 Annual Research Review 2003 Species Trial Category Trial Type No. Total Trials Area (ha) ACACIA A. dealbata Acacia Tree Breeding 1 2.000 A. decurrens Acacia Tree Breeding 1 1.200 A. mearnsii Acacia Tree Breeding 39 39.250 A. mearnsii Forest Productivity Land Preparation 1 1.620 A. mearnsii Forest Productivity Mensuration 3 A. mearnsii Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 0.770 Acacia (ha) 44.840 MIXED SPECIES Mix Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tree Breeding 1 4.500 Mix Acacia Acacia Tree Breeding 2 1.600 Mix Eucalypts Forest Productivity Site-Species Interaction 8 9.920 Mix Eucalypts, Acacia Forest Productivity Site-Species Interaction 6 9.300 Mix Eucalypts, Pines Forest Productivity Site-Species Productivity 21 26.750 Mix (ha) 52.070 PINES P. elliottii Forest Nutrition 2 2.750 P. elliottii Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 5 10.000 P. elliottii x P. caribaea Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 1.200 P. elliottii, P. radiata Forest Productivity Harvesting impact 1 4.650 P. greggii Forest Nutrition 1 1.000 P. greggii Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 0.970 P. patula Forest Nutrition 8 14.410 P. patula Forest Productivity Harvesting Impact 1 7.000 P. patula Re-establishment Research Ecophysio Regen Res 7 8.700 P. patula Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 4 4.890 P. patula, P. elliottii Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 4.300 P. patula, P. elliottii, P. taeda Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 2 1.800 P. patula, P. taeda, P. elliotti Forest Nutrition 1 5.000 P. taeda Forest Nutrition 3 6.680 P. taeda Re-establishment Research Ecophysio Regen Res 1 1.000 P. tecunumanii Re-establishment Research Vegetation Management 1 1.800 Pine (ha) 76.150 TOTAL AREA UNDER TRIALS 395
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 73 ICFR Staff Administration Colin Dyer (Prof.) Director Tanya Wilby Personal Assistant
Karin Nagel Financial Manager Tracy Steart Receptionist, Pietermaritzburg office Bev Oscroft Receptionist, Kwambonambi office Nikki Meinesz Receptionist, Sabie office Jabulani Mchunu Clerk Ella Mkhize Cleaner Yvonne Ntombela Cleaner
Functional Support Sally Upfold Editor & Public Relations Officer Richard Kunz Information Manager Sean Best Computer Network Administrator (contracted) Désireé Lamoral Librarian Innocent Mchunu Library Assistant
Michael Chetty Laboratory Manager Mary Galbraith Laboratory Technician Lewis Masuku Laboratory Technician Thulani Mbhense Laboratory Assistant
Kay Nixon Research Fellow
Eucalypt Tree Improvement Tammy-Lyn Swain Programme Manager Robin Gardner Research Scientist Colin Chiappero Research Technician Chris Komakech Research Technician Alpheos Ntombela Research Assistant Robert Nkonde Research Assistant Patrick Thabethe Research Assistant
Acacia Research Robert Dunlop Programme Manager Sascha Beck (Dr) Research Scientist Siegfried Hagedorn Research Scientist (retired December 2003) Tim Goodricke Research Technician (retired December 2003) Darren de Leur Research Technician (resigned March 2003) Thulani Nsidane Research Assistant
Forest Nutrition Ben du Toit Programme Manager Janine Campion Research Scientist Anthony Job Research Technician Greg Fuller Research Technician Steven Dovey Research Technician Bheki Ndawonde Research Assistant (contracted) Sam Soko Research Assistant (deceased November 2003)
Page 74 Annual Research Review 2003 Re-establishment Research Keith Little (Dr) Programme Manager Carol Rolando Research Scientist Paul Viero Research Technologist Gert van den Berg Research Technician Gavin Higgs Research Technician Denis Oscroft Research Technician Musa Mkhwanazi Research Assistant
Forest Productivity Colin Smith (Dr) Programme Manager Luke Esprey Research Scientist Trevor Morley Research Scientist Shadron Naicker Research Technician Michael Buthelezi Research Assistant (contracted) Blessing Mbentse Research Assistant Diana Rietz PhD student
Annual Research Review 2003 Page 75 Page 76 Annual Research Review 2003