Cordia alliodora: genetics and tree improvement
Abstract
The information summarised here brings together research carried out over 18 years as part of a number of projects financed principally by the Overseas Development Administration of the United Kingdom, under a variety of schemes. Cordia alliodora (R. & P.) Oken, is an important neotropical tree, which combines timber of high quality and value with fast growth on good quality soils. The wood of C. alliodora is of great importance throughout its natural range, both for local use by fanners and as a commercial timber in national markets. The first chapters of the paper explore basic issues: species description and natural distribution (Chapter 2) flowering phenology, incompatibility mechanism and pollination (Chapter 3) pollen flow and seed dispersal (Chapter 4). All of these influence the genetic structure and dynamics of populations of C. alliodora (Chapters 4 and 5). These chapters provide the background to areas of more immediate practical applicability: provenance and progeny trials (Chapter 5) seed collection and storage (Chapter 6) and vegetative propagation (Chapter 7). The final chapter (Chapter 8) draws conclusions, from the rest of the paper for tree improvement of C. alliodora, particularly with respect to use in agroforestry systems. A glossary of terminology is given at the end of the paper (Appendix I).
Citation
Tropical Forestry Paper no. 36. 96pp. Oxford Forestry Institute. Oxford, UK. ISBN:0 85074 144 0. ISSN:0141-9668.