Search Results (4)

Melina (Gmelina arborea Roxb.) is a tree native to Asia, whose timber is not utilized in that region for a variety of reasons. However, the tree’s fast growth and extensive range of applications have increased its acceptance in other world’regions. G. arborea was introduced to Mexico in 1971, and it is currently the fifth most utilized forest species in commercial forest plantations (CFPs). However, its genetic diversity has not been evaluated in Mexico. The objective of this research was to investigate the genetic variability of Melina in Mexico using molecular markers. This investigation was undertaken to acquire valuable insights for the implementation of effective improvement strategies. A total of 85 Melina samples were collected from various locations in southeastern Mexico between 2017 and 2022. Genetic fingerprints were obtained using ten simple primer amplification reactions (SPARs): five Directed Amplification of Minisatellite DNA regions (DAMD), and five Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSRs). The polymorphic information content (PIC) was 0.940 and 0.950 for the DAMD and ISSR, respectively, and the similarity coefficients ranged from 0.12 to 0.88, indicating a high degree of polymorphism in the species under investigation. This is the first attempt to ascertain the genetic variability of Gmelina arborea in Mexico. Full article

Livestock supplementation with forage trees is becoming a sustainable alternative to traditional grazing on the open pastures during the dry season in Benin. However, little is known about the feeding preferences of sheep and the digestibility of such native tree/shrub fodder. Such knowledge could improve their use on smallholder farms. Multiple-choice feeding preference tests were conducted on six tree fodders (Annona senegalensis, Blighia sapida, Cassia sieberiana, Gmelina arborea, Khaya senegalensis, and Mangifera indica) to determine the best choice to feed the local rams and ewe Djallonke sheep. The cafeteria test involved four rams and four ewes. In addition, an in vivo trial using metabolic cages was conducted to evaluate the voluntary intake of dried woody leaves and the dry matter digestibility of diets containing these dried leaves. Preferences varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) according to the woody species. Based on relative intake values, sheep preferred, in decreasing order, the leaves of M. indica, B. sapida, K. senegalensis, G. arborea, A. senegalensis, and C. sieberiana. The apparent digestibility of dry matter was highest (p ≤ 0.01) in the G. arborea diet (86.8%); all diets presented a value higher than 70%. This study provided helpful information about better resource utilization to improve animal productivity. Further study could evaluate the growth performance of sheep supplemented with tree fodder. Full article

At present, there is a high demand for carbon (C) sequestration alternatives; thus, understanding tree growth and the efficacy of remote sensing techniques to capture forest plantation ecophysiology is crucial. This study evaluated the effect of contrasting stockings of Gmelina arborea on its initial growth and aboveground Carbon stock, and the efficacy of aerial images obtained using drones to capture the crown cover at different stockings. The results indicated that denser stockings showed greater tree heights and stem diameter increments, contrary to traditional measurements. The C storage capacity of Gmelina arborea was promising, with an aboveground estimated C stock of about 13 Mg ha⁻¹ in 9 months, making it a valuable and promising species for CO₂ sequestration under the context of climate change. The use of simple Red-Green-Blue (RGB) cameras and drones to detect and estimate crown areas in young plantations was mainly viable within the commercial range of stockings (500–2000 trees ha⁻¹), and can be used as a powerful tool to better understand tree initial growth. The results showed effective discrimination without weeds independently of the stocking level; however, when weeds were present, the effectiveness decreased. This research provides valuable insights into forest management and improves the understanding of the silviculture behavior of a potential native species for reforestation in the tropics. Full article

Community forest management for timber production requires short- and long-rotation companion species to fulfill the demands of the timber industry, improve farmer welfare and maintain environmental sustainability. Four species (Falcataria moluccana, Neolamarckia cadamba, Acacia mangium and Gmelina arborea) were tested as short-rotation timber crop companion species for teak (Tectona grandis) on dry-rocky soil in the Gunungkidul community forest. The selection of short-rotation timber species was based on growth performance and survival rate at the teak site. Two years after planting, the viability of G. arborea (87.3%) and A. mangium (78.2%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of N. cadamba (40.6%) and F. moluccana (18.0%). G. arborea and N. cadamba achieved the best growth in terms of height, diameter, basal area, and volume, with the growth of A. mangium and F. moluccana being significantly inferior. Gmelina arborea has the ability to adapt to teak sites, grow well, and accompany teak. Neolamarckia cadamba demonstrated good growth with potential as a teak companion, and it demonstrated limited drought tolerance on the dry-rocky soils of the study sites. Acacia mangium had a high survival but produced slow growth, indicating that it required an advance evaluation in future years. Falcataria moluccana has different growing site requirements to teak so the performance was relatively poor at the study site. This mixed pattern provides benefits to farmers through commercial thinning of short rotations species, 5–8 years post establishment. Thinning operations will also increase the productivity of residual teak stands. The diversification of timber species in community forests can provide earlier returns, enabling the adoption of silviculture management by smallholders and communities. Full article