Growth performances of 100 open-pollinated families in an early test of Maesopsis eminii in west Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Early results from a field test of Maesopsis eminii are reported from a progeny test of 100 open-pollinated families of Indonesian seed sources (west Java). Seedling height and diameter at root collar (DRC) were measured in the family tests at 0, 10, and 15 months of age. Age 0 means the measurement just before the planting of the trial. The averages of seedling height and DRC at age 15 months were 134.4 cm and 1.86 cm. Family survival rates were, on average, 65.6% and 62.8% at age 10 and 15 months, respectively. Family genetic variance and replication variance at age 15 months were higher than those at age 10 months. Seedling height was positively correlated with DRC growth and statistically significant at the same ages. The coefficients of genetic variation for seedling height and DRC were ranged from 0.01 to 12.69 and from 1.97 to 13.70, respectively. Heritability estimates obtained were 0.44, 0.04, 0.01, and 0.31, 0.01, and 0.02 for seedling height and DRC at age 0, 10, and 15 months, respectively. Family averages of the 10 best and the 10 poorest families for each trait indicated that there were large differences of seedling height and DRC growth among individual families and between ages. Genetic gain for DRC was expected to be substantial and higher than that for seedling height growth at age 15 months. Those results suggested that growth improvement through the superior family selection of M. eminii could be possible.