Eucalypts in Asia Proceedings of an international conference held in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, 7–11 April 2003 Editor: J.W.Turnbull Conference organisers: China Eucalypt Research Centre CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products Forest Science Centre, Victoria Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Canberra 2003 The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) was established in June 1982 by an Act of the Australian Parliament. Its mandate is to help identify agricultural problems in developing countries and to commission collaborative research between Australia and developing country researchers in fields where Australia has a special research competence. Where trade names are used this constitutes neither endorsement of nor discrimination against any product by the Centre. ACIAR PROCEEDINGS This series of publications includes the full proceedings of research workshops or symposia organised or supported by ACIAR. Numbers in this series are distributed internationally to selected individuals and scientific institutions. © Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, GPO Box 1571, Canberra, ACT 2601. Turnbull, J.W., ed., 2003. Eucalypts in Asia. Proceedings of an international conference held in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, 7–11 April 2003. ACIAR Proceedings No. 111, 267 p. ISBN 1 86320 386 9 (print) 1 86320 392 3 (electronic) Technical editing and typesetting: Ed Highley, Clarus Design Pty Ltd Printed by Elect Printing, Canberra Contents Preface 7 Present Situation and Prospects for Eucalypt Plantations in China 9 Yang Minsheng Clonal Eucalyptus Plantations in India 16 P. Lal Social Dimensions of Silviculture, Especially with Regard to Forest Plantations 22 Masatoshi Endo Eucalypt Planting in Thailand 28 V. Luangviriyasaeng Developing a Strategy for Sustainable Management of Eucalyptus Plantations in China 32 Xie Yaojian Scenarios for a Commercial Eucalypt Plantation Industry in Southern China 39 Xu Daping Benefit–Cost Analysis of Eucalypt Management for Sustainability in Southern China 46 Zhou Zaizhi and W. Loane Eucalypt Domestication and Breeding — Past Triumphs and Future Horizons 52 S.P. MacRae Genetic Improvement of Tropical Eucalypts in China 64 Bai Jiayu, Xu Jianmin and Gan Siming Improvement of Eucalypts for Reforestation in Vietnam 71 Le Dinh Kha, Ha Huy Thinh and Nguyen Viet Cuong Growth and Genetic Improvement of Eucalyptus pellita in South Sumatra, Indonesia 82 E.B. Hardiyanto Performance at Dongmen, Guangxi of Eucalyptus grandis from Improved and Unimproved Sources 89 Li Hongwei, Shen Wenhui, Wang Guoxiang and R.E. Pegg Variation in Growth and Wood Density of Eucalyptus urophylla 94 Luo Jianzhong Progeny Test of Open-Pollinated Families of Eucalyptus urophylla on Multiple Sites 101 Xu Jiamin, Li Guanyou, Lu Zhaohua, Bai Jiayu, Lu Guohuan and Wang Shangming Selection of Cold-Tolerant Eucalypts for Hunan Province 107 Lin Mujiu, R. Arnold, Li Bohai and Yang Minsheng 3 Review of Cold-Tolerant Eucalyptus Improvement in Fujian Province 117 Lan Hesheng, Qiu Jingqing, Xie Guoyang, Huang Delong, Zhao Shirong and Lin Wenge Genetic Resources of Eucalypts and Their Development in Sichuan 123 Li Xiaoqing and Hu Tianyu Seed Crop Management of Eucalyptus globulus — Development of Seed Crops and Their Readiness to Harvest in Individual Trees 126 J. Sasse, M. Lavery, H. O’Sullivan, A. Ashton and M. Hamilton Spatial Variation in Capsule and Seed Crops within Crowns of Eucalyptus globulus Trees in a Seed Orchard 133 J. Sasse, M. Lavery and M. Hamilton Environmental and Cultural Influences on Flowering of Eucalyptus dunnii 140 R. Arnold and Xiang Dongyun Analysis of Genetic Heterozygosity in Eucalyptus urophylla and E. tereticornis Using RAPD Markers 148 Gan Siming, Shi Jisen, Bai Jiayu, Wu Kunming and Wu Juying Soils Proposed for Eucalypt Plantations in Southern China: Properties, Distribution and Management Requirements 154 M. Laffan, T. Baker and Chen Shaoxiong Correlating Eucalypt Growth and Nutrition and Soil Nutrient Availability in the Cooler Provinces of Southern China 161 T. Baker, M. Laffan, W. Neilsen, R. Arnold, Chen Shaoxiong, Jiang Yundong, Xiang Dongyun, Lin Mojiu and Lan Hesheng Growth Responses to Thinning in Young Eucalyptus Plantations in China and Australia 169 Zhang Ronggui, T. Baker and W. Neilsen Tree and Stand Growth and Biomass Relationships for Eucalyptus urophylla and E. 12ABL on the Leizhou Peninsula, Guangdong Province, China 174 T. Baker, J. Morris, M. Duncan, Zhang Ningnan, Yang Zengjiang, Huang Zhihong and Chu Guowei Insect Pests of Eucalypts in China 183 Pang Zhenghong Predicting the Environmental Interactions of Eucalypt Plantations Using a Process-Based Forest Model 185 J.D. Morris Eucalypt Planting on Salt-Affected and Waterlogged Soils in Pakistan 193 K.M. Subhani, M.R. Chaudhry and M. Iqbal Water Use of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on Highly Saline and Non-Saline Soils in Yang Talad, Kalasin Province, Thailand 198 J. Luangjame and R. Lertsirivorakul 4 Water Quality as an Environmental Indicator for the Long-Term Sustainable Management of Forested Catchments 203 P. Hopmans and L.J. Bren Relating Sap Flow to Environment in Two Eucalyptus urophylla Plantations in Southeastern China 209 Yin Guangcai, J. Morris, Zhou Guoyi, Wang Xu, Huang Zhihong and Zhang Ningnan Water Balance of Eucalyptus urophylla Plantations in South China 217 P. Lane, J. Morris, Zhang Ningnan, Zhou Guangyi, Zhou Gouyi and Xu Daping Solid-Wood Properties of Plantation-Grown Eucalyptus globulus: Their Variation, Effect and Evaluation 225 Jun-Li Yang, D. Fife, G. Waugh, J. Ilic, R. Evans, G. Downes and P. Blackwell Growth Strain in Eight Species of Plantation-Grown Eucalypts in Southern China 235 Jiang Xiaomei, Yin Yafang, Lu Jianxiong and Zhao Youke Short communications Eucalypt Breeding in Sri Lanka: a Review of Progress and Future Breeding Strategies 243 B. Kangane and P. Kanowski Potential of Eucalyptus dunnii at the Northern Limit of Eucalypt Introduction in China 245 Liu Youquan, Li Zhihui and Ou Yanglei Flowering and Seed Production in Tropical Eucalyptus Seed Orchards 237 K. Pinyopusarerk and C. Harwood Developing a Seedling Seed Orchard of Eucalyptus smithii 249 Zhang Ronggui, Jiang Yundong and Li Siguang Research Advances with Eucalypts by Leizhou Forestry Bureau, Guangdong Province 251 Mo Xiaoyong Managing Diseases of Eucalypts in Southeast Asia 253 K.M. Old and C. Mohammed Effect on Growth of Eucalyptus urophylla Seedlings by Inoculation with Ectomycorrhiza and Associative Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria 254 Ma Haibin, Kang Lihua, Jiang Yegen and Wan Lu A Comparative Study on Understorey Vegetation Diversity in Eucalyptus Plantations in Hainan Island 256 Yu Xuebiao and Yang Zaihong 5 Effects of Microwaving, Freezing and Soaking Pre-Treatments on Drying and Shrinkage of Eucalypt Wood 258 Jiang Zehui, Fei Benhua, Wang Ximing, Zhao Rongjun and Liu Junliang A Drying Strategy for 25 mm Thick Eucalyptus Lumber 260 Du Guoxing, Gu Lianbai, Zhong Zhendeng and Liang Zhiqiang A Study on Eucalypt Wood Lightfastness 262 Jiang Zehui, Zhao Rongjun, Fei Benhua and Wang Ximing Development of Eucalypt Cement Flakeboard: a New Fire-Retardant Board 264 Feng Jin-Tao, Ye Ying-Xiang, Wu Zhen-Ji and Wu Qlan-Ping Research on Medium-Density Fibreboard at CSIRO 266 P. Collins, G. Freischmidt, S. Terrill and P. Warden SilviScan — Revolutionary Technology for Rapid Evaluation of Wood Properties 267 R. Evans, G. Downes and Jun-Li Yang 6 Preface As the global population grows and areas of native forest decrease, particularly in devel- oping countries, tree plantations and agroforestry have become an increasingly important source of timber, fuelwood and raw materials for pulp and paper. In these new forests, species of the genus Eucalyptus are now being widely used throughout the world to provide wood products in regions of scarcity of wood and other tree products. Eucalypts are highly productive and well adapted to dry, infertile sites, and are a productive land use of degraded land no longer suitable for agriculture. They can also contribute to the protec- tion of land and water systems. Nowhere is the utility of eucalypts more evident than in Asia where these plantations have become a significant feature of the natural resource base in a number of countries, particularly India, China, Vietnam and Thailand, where they support major industries and contribute to alleviation of rural poverty. The introduction of new species and the development of new rural industries have brought new research needs and challenges, which have been addressed by a number of research institutions in Asia over the past decades. The ‘International Conference on Eucalypts in Asia’ was conceived by the China Eucalypt Research Centre of the Chinese Academy of Forestry. It provides a timely examination of the role of these species in Asia and reports on the state of the science in this region. The proceedings deal with socioeconomic, genetics, nutrition, pests and diseases, environmental impacts and utilisation issues. The increase in the area of eucalypt plantations in Asia has not been without contention, and some of the issues, particularly water, are well-addressed in these proceedings. This con- ference is the first to consider such a wide range of issues about eucalypts in the Asian region, and is a valuable contribution to our knowledge and ability to manage these species for maximum benefit and sustainability. The Australian