by
D.X. Destremau and R. Bellefontaine
(July, 1974)
1. Introduction
The national reforestation plan charged the Forest Research Institute with the following orientation:
Concentration of the research effort on five species of pines and three eucalypts: Pinus pinaster, P. canariensis, P. halepensis, P. pinea, P. brutia, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. gomphocephala and E. grandis; with emphasis on:
the performance of these species in plantations,
exploration of the natural distribution of P. pinaster and P. halepensis in Morocco and establishment of comparative trials of the provenances so recognized, and
provenance trials and production of improved seed of the remaining above cited species.
Establishment of comparative trials of so-called secondary species - principally Mexican and American pines, Atlas cedar and Atlas cypress. For the latter two species, the natural stands have been recently surveyed.
Since 1970, all trials are layed out in accordance with modern statistical procedures.
2. Conifers
2.1 Pinus pinaster
Twenty-four provenances, Atlantic as well as continental, of which nine are registered seed stands, have been compared with French, Portuguese, Tunisian (and some Italian and Spanish) provenances on many sites (2, 3). A series of gene conservation stands (provenances) has also been established. The Portuguese (Leiria) and Tunisian (Aïn Baoocuch) sources do best in the Atlantic region up to 1000 metres elevation, while at higher elevations and in continental climates the mountain provenances appear to do best.
Two progeny trials of six and twenty half-sib progenies from Leiria and Aïn Baccouch, respectively, have been established on two sites.
Artificial hybridisation between the Leiria and Aïn Baccouch provenances will be tried in the spring of 1975.
One 20 ha plot of Portuguese origin (Leiria?) planted in 1959 was made the object of a severe selection on the criteria of vigour and wood density. Thirty trees were retained. Cones were collected this year, and will be during the next two years, which will allow evaluation of the progenies from three consecutive years.
These thirty trees, considered as mother trees, will be grafted in 1976 in a seed orchard, in which the pollen source will be the best clone (no. 41) from the Leiria progeny trials mentioned above.
2.2 Pinus canariensis
Ten provenances from the island of Tenerife and one from La Palma were compared with three plantation provenances from Morocco.
A series of conservation stands is in the process of being established.
Thirty seed lots from the region south of 28°44' on La Palma complete the current trials; provenances north of 28°44' will be sown this winter.
In the near future, the collection of seed from provenances from other islands in the Canaries, the creation of a seed stand of the best provenance, and the establishment of a seed orchard are foreseen.
Artificial hybridization of P. canariensis x P. roxburghii was tried in 1974.
2.3 Pinus halepensis, P. brutia and P. eldarica
Studies on natural stands of Aleppo pine have led to the collection of seeds from 27 provenances (2), which in 1975 will be compared to exotic sources of P. halepensis and P. brutia in accordance with Project No. 4 of the FAO Committee on the Coordination of Mediterranean Forestry Research.
Seed stands will be located in 1975.
The Chatba series of conservation stands will be completed this year.
Regarding P. eldarica, we are making enquiries to Mediterranean countries with a view toward organizing provenance trials.
2.4 Other Pinus spp. (5)
Establishment of the first provenance trials of P. pinea, P. nigra and P. coulteri will be made in the winter of 1974.
Californian provenances of P. radiata collected by Shelbourne were planted in 1972, and plantation provenances in 1973.
Requests to exchange sample quantities of seed were sent to various countries for P. pseudostrobus, P. patula, P. greggii, P. torreyana, P. caribaea, P. oocarpa and P. ponderosa. These seven species are now considered as reserve species.
2.5 Cedrus atlantica and Cupressus atlantica
The natural distributions of these species in Morocco have been divided into 16 and 17 provenances, respectively, under trial since 1973 on a number of sites (2, 6).
Sixteen cedar seed stands have been established; those for cypress will be established in 1976.
A progeny trial of cedar from Mont Ventoux (France) will be set out in 1975.
3. Broad-leaved species
3.1 Eucalyptus camaldulensis
The Lake Albacutya provenance can easily be distinguished from the group of 25 Australian sources in the Sidi Slimane international trials (1, 7). At seven years the gains obtained in diameter at breast height (1.3 m) are in the order of 27%, compared to the mean diameter of the 25 provenances. The expected mean annual increment per ha is 2 to 3 times greater than the present production; i.e. 13 m3 compared with 5 m3/ha/yr.
Harvesting at eight years (1975) will facilitate various studies: wood quality, coppicing, etc.
A test of 24 clones from Lake Albacutya was grafted at Mamora; 6 to 18 clones are still awaited from other countries participating in these international trials.
The Lake Albacutya seed orchard will begin producing in 1977 and will replace the older orchard of three clones.
A trial of 18 half-sib progenies from Lake Albacutya and Lake Coorong (near Lake Albacutya) covering 10 ha in an 18 × 18 Latin square design should yield its first results this year.
Efforts have been renewed to root herbaceous cuttings with the objective of surmounting final difficulties before commencing vegetative propagation of the Lake Albacutya provenance on an industrial scale in 1975–76.
3.2 E. gomphocephala
Until now, selection has concentrated on the vigour and technological quality of certain trees in local plantations.
The old two-clone seed orchard has been abandoned.
Trials of two Australian provenances (28 progenies) will be established on a number of sites in July, 1974.
3.3 E. grandis
Three natural provenances (28 progenies) will be compared with two plantation provenances in the winter of 1974 on different Moroccan sites.
3.4 Populus alba
Since 1955 cuttings of 144 clones from native or naturalized white poplars, chosen throughout Morocco, have been rooted (rooting very easy!) and now constitute a magnificent collection. After selection (on straightness and vigour), 20 clones will be compared in 1975 in accordance with modern statistical procedures.
Bibliography
1. DESTREMAU, D.X., JOLLY, H. and KORBA, M. Les enseignements de l'essai comparatif de provenances d'Eucalyptus camaldulensis de Sidi Slimane. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc. tome 13, pp. 121 – 154, 1973.
2. DESTREMAU, D.X., JOLLY, H. and KORBA, M. Précisions sur les aires naturelles des principaux conifères morocains en vue de l'individualisation des provenances. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc, tome 14 (“sous presse”), 1974.
3. DESTREMAU, D.X., JOLLY, H. and TAHRI, M. Contribution à la connaissance des provenances de Pinus pinaster. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc, tome 15(“sous presse”), 1974.
4. FRANCLET, A. Premiers travaux d'amélioration génétique des Eucalyptus. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc, tome 4, faso. 1, pp. 63 – 86, 1956.
5. LACAZE, J.F. Essences résineuses californiennes susceptibles de s'acclimater au Maroc. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc, tome 1, pp. 91 – 136, 1951.
6. PUJOS, A. Les milieux de la cédraie marocaine. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc, tome 8, pp. 1 – 238, 1964.
7. Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the Mediterranean and Africa, Forest Genetic Resources Information No. 2, FAO, 1973.
8. Mediterranean pine seed collections, Forest Genetic Resources Information No. 2, FAO, 1973.
