Relationship betweenAcacia mangium × Acacia auriculiformis hybrids and their parents based on leaf and root anatomy characteristics

Abstract

Acacia mangium×Acacia auriculiformishybrids do not always perform intermediate features of both parents. A study was conducted to observe the similarity of Acacia hybrid progenies to their parents based on anatomical features of leaf and root. Leaf and root samples were taken from each three sampled trees of Acacia hybrid and parent species selected on three growth superiority classes: superior, intermediate and inferior. The anatomical features were observed on leaf and root tissue specimens prepared through free-hand and non-embedding technique. Similarity and relationship indexes were determined using cluster analysis.The similarity index between the superior hybrid and female tree was higher than that ofthe male tree with similarity index value of 88.45% and 87.60% respectively. Based on the phenogram analysis, the parent species were clustered into two clearly separated groups with the distance of 86%. The superior and intermediate classes of Acacia hybrids tended to cluster into female parent group. Superior Acacia hybrids could be potentially produced by selecting the superior female parents as mother.