SEED COLLECTION

A wide-ranging seed collection programme, mainly in Australia, has provided NZDFI with a large, broad-based genetic resource with excellent potential for selecting elite trees for breeding.

Since 2008, Proseed NZ (Australasia's largest tree seed company and NZDFI partner) has coordinated seed collection of selected eucalypt species within Australia and New Zealand. Collections have ranged across south eastern and southern Australia. Seed from some New Zealand E. globoidea trees has also been collected.

We have accumulated a large collection (over 500 families) of provenances and families from our selected species, providing genetic variability at a scale which gives great scope for genetic improvement.

Collecting seed from elite trees identified in our trials

From 2000, we began collecting seed from superior trees identified from within our own breeding trial network. Seedlings produced from this seed form the 1st generation of our improved planting stock, available from 2021 onwards to growers.

Continuing seed collection from elite trees is a key part of our breeding programme. Following completion of productivity, form and wood properties assessments, we have identified elite families within NZDFI’s E. bosistoana and E. globoidea breeding populations and selected plus trees within these families for seed collection.

In spring 2023 we undertook a programme of seed collection from our elite E. bosistoana and E. globoidea, as well as some E. macrorhyncha, the next species we hope to bring into the breeding programme.

Propagating seedlings

NZDFI works in close partnership with Proseed NZ in several areas including:

• research into rapid propagation techniques, including the production of clonal planting material
• establishing seed orchards
• production of genetically improved seed, which is then supplied to commercial nursries who produce planting stock for despatch to growers.

Read more about Proseed's propagation work