Realized Operational Gains from Clonal Eucalypt Forestry in Colombia and Current Methods to Increase Them, 1997 Biological Sciences Symposium Proceedings

Plantation yields from Eucalyptus grandis plantations at Smurfit Carton de Colombia in 1990 were 100 tons of wood per hectare over a ten year rotation for a mean anual increment (MAI) of 10 tons/hectare/year. Current operational yields from clonal plantations of E. grandis and the hybrid urograndis are 2 10 tons of wood per hectare over a six year rotation for a MAI of 35 tons/hectare/year. This increase has been due to matching clones to site, correct weed control, fertilization at planting and selection of those clones resistant to disease. Operational gains have been reduced wood cost, lower harvesting cost due to higher stocking and more uniform piece size and increased wood uniformity. Current methods to increase these yields include refertilization, use of control cross seed for production of new material for clonal selection, hybridization, seed and clone exchange, DNA fingerprinting, tissue culture, gene transformation for reduced lignin production and silvicultural site prescriptions including no burning to protect existing soil mycorrhiza and nutrients. It is anticipated to double the pulp yield per hectare per year from present levels.