Strong, independent, quantitative genetic control of the timing of vegetative phase change and first flowering in Eucalyptus globulus ssp. globulus (Tasmanian Blue Gum)

Abstract

Analysis of large open-pollinated and controlled-cross field trials of Eucalyptus globulus ssp. globulus show quantitative genetic independence of the times of first flowering and the abrupt change in leaf form . The onset of each of these critical developmental events is under moderate to strong additive genetic control in this taxon, with individual narrow-sense heritabilities of 0.4-0.6 and 0.2-0.9 respectively, and little nonadditive genetic control. This strong additive genetic control and the independence of these processes provide the genetic environment for rapid heterochronic microevolution.