Genetic Variation Patterns in Leaf Morphology on Eucalypts and Their Hybrids

Abstract:

To understand the genetic pattern on leaf traits variation between eucalypt hybrid progenies and their parents, the leaf morphological characters of female parent Eucalyptus urophylla, male parents E. pellita and E. tereticornis, and 8 hybrid progenies were studied. The results showed that there were not significant differences in leaf traits between two close relations of E. urophylla and E. pellita, whereas there were significant differences with distant relation E. tereticornis. The leaf traits of E. urophylla×E. pellita progenies had not significant differences with their parents, or there were more similar to male parent (E. pellita) than female (E. urophylla) parent. The leaf traits of E. urophylla×E. tereticornis progenies had significant differences with their parents, and had high similarity to female parents. Among individuals and families within species, the differences in leaf quantitative traits were significant, but qualitative traits showed significant differences only in leaf wax thickness and leaf orientation. Some leaf traits of hybrid progenies showed transgressive inheritance, the frequency of transgressive inheritance in E. urophylla×E. tereticornis were significantly higher than those in E. urophylla×E. pellita. Therefore, the length, ratio of length to width, shape factors, color and wax of leaf were determined properties in leaf morphological characteristics.

Key words:Eucalyptus;Hybrid;Leaf;Genetic pattern