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Genetic variation in wood color and its correlations with tree growth and wood density of Calycophyllum spruceanum at an early age in the Peruvian Amazon

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Abstract

Calycophyllum spruceanum (Benth.) Hook. f. ex K. Shum. is an important timber-tree species in the Peruvian Amazon Basin. Markets currently prefer wood with a uniform, light yellow color, but these preferences may change in the future. As farmers and industry commonly use wood from young trees, it is important to investigate genetic and environmental variation in juvenile-wood properties to assess whether tree improvement programs could make adjustments to changing preferences. A provenance/progeny test was established to evaluate genetic variation in growth and wood properties of young trees, the strength of their genetic control as well as their interrelationships both at the genetic and the phenotypic level in different planting zones. This paper presents analyses of variation in wood color at 39 months, and their correlations with tree growth and wood basic density. CIELab means for lightness ranging from black to white (L), green to red hues (a*) and blue to yellow hues (b*) were 67.63, 5.34 and 22.12, respectively; means for chroma (C) and hue angle (h)* were 22.76 and 76.43, respectively (C and h* were estimated from a* and b*). Significant variation due to provenances and especially due to families within provenances was found in some wood color characteristics, and some color characteristics also differed significantly among planting zones. Genetic correlations indicate that, in general, selection of faster growing trees and/or trees with denser wood would have little effect on wood color and its uniformity. In general, wood color had relatively low heritability (h 2 i ): among all trees, h 2 i  = 0.31 for L; and variance due to families was not significant for a* and b*. Genetic control of color was highest in the planting zone where trees grew most rapidly: h 2 i  = 0.48 and 0.52 for a* and b*, respectively; but variance due to families was not significant for L. Results suggest that selection based on wood color would be more effective in zones with more fertile soils and higher rainfall.

Resumen

Calycophyllum spruceanum (Benth.) Hook. f. ex K. Shum. es una especie arbórea importante en la cuenca de la Amazonía Peruana. Los mercados prefieren actualmente la madera con un color uniforme amarillo claro, aunque estas preferencias podrían cambiar en el futuro. Los agricultores e industriales utilizan a menudo la madera de esta especie proveniente de árboles jóvenes. Es por tanto esencial investigar la variación genética y medioambiental de las propiedades de la madera juvenil para determinar si los programas de mejoramiento genético puedan ser adaptados a los cambios de preferencias del consumidor. Un ensayo de procedencia/descendencia fue establecido para evaluar la variación genética en el crecimiento y en las propiedades de la madera de los árboles jóvenes, la magnitud de su control genético así como sus correlaciones a nivel genético y fenotípico en diferentes zonas de plantación. Este artículo presenta los resultados de la variación en las características del color de la madera de 39 meses de edad, y sus correlaciones con el crecimiento del árbol y densidad básica de la madera. Los promedios de los valores de CIELab fueron la luminosidad que mide el eje del color negro-blanco (L), la coordenada cromática asociada al eje verde-rojo (a*) y la coordenada que mide el color azul-amarillo (b*) = 67.63, 5.34 y 22.12, respectivamente; la saturación del color (C) y el ángulo del tinte (h*) = 22.76 y 76.43, respectivamente (C y h* fueron estimados a partir de a* y b*). Una variación significativa debida a las procedencias y especialmente a las familias dentro de las procedencias fue detectada en algunas características del color de la madera. Algunas características también fueron significativamente diferentes entre las zonas de plantación. Las correlaciones genéticas indican que, en general, la selección de árboles basada en el crecimiento y/o densidad de la madera podría tener poco efecto en el color de la madera y en su uniformidad. En general, el color de la madera tiene baja heredabilidad (h 2 i ): entre todos los árboles, h 2 i  = 0.31 para L; y la variancia debido a familias no fue estadísticamente significativa para a* y b*. El control genético fue más alto en la zona de mayor crecimiento de los árboles: h 2 i  = 0.48 y 0.52 para a* y b*, respectivamente; pero la variancia debido a familias no fue estadísticamente significativa para L. Los resultados sugieren que la selección basada en el color de la madera podría ser más efectiva en zonas con suelos más fértiles y con mayor precipitación dentro de una cuenca.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the generous grants to the first author and support for research expenses provided by the Organization of American States, Laval University, the Canadian Forest Service (CFS), and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). We are also grateful to the collaborating farmers and technicians in Peru, and to scientists, statisticians and technicians at Laval University, CFS, ICRAF (Tony Simons, Jonathan Cornelius); and to Drs. Gérard Janin and Jonathan Cornelius for their useful comments which helped to improve the quality of the manuscript. The provenance/progeny test was supported by grants to ICRAF from the Interamerican Development Bank, the Government of Spain, the Governments of Netherlands and Norway as part of the CGIAR Global Initiative for Alternatives to Slash and Burn, the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom, and Winrock International as part of the USAID Alternative Development Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de recherche sur le bois, Pavillon Gene Kruger, Université Laval, G1K7P4, Quebec, QC, Canada

    Carmen Sotelo Montes & Roger E. Hernández

  2. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, 1055 du P.E.P.S., Stn. Sainte-Foy, P.O. Box 10380, G1V4C7, Quebec, QC, Canada

    Jean Beaulieu

  3. World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), B.P. 320, Bamako, Mali

    John C. Weber

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  1. Carmen Sotelo Montes
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  2. Roger E. Hernández
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  3. Jean Beaulieu
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  4. John C. Weber
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Correspondence to Carmen Sotelo Montes.

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Sotelo Montes, C., Hernández, R.E., Beaulieu, J. et al. Genetic variation in wood color and its correlations with tree growth and wood density of Calycophyllum spruceanum at an early age in the Peruvian Amazon. New Forests 35, 57–73 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-007-9060-9

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