Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Wood Properties of <i>Casuarina</i> Clones

The present study aimed at assessing the genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in the six years and three months old clonal trial of Casuarina at Punjab Agricultural Unhfersity, Ludhiana, Punjab (India). Significant differences were found among the clones for growth and wood characteristics. The estimates of phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation clearly reflected large amount of variation for bark thickness followed by vessel diameter and fibre diameter, and reasonable amount of genetic variability for majority of traits studied except Diameter at base level and sapwood-heartwood diameter ratio. The high heritability coupled with high genetic advance for wood density, fibre length and vessel length recorded in present study provided evidences for existence of adequate genotypic variations and thus lends support for exploitation of genetic variability for further Improvement in this species. Holoceiluiose content showed positive significant phenotypic correlation with fibre diameter. Wood density registered positive and highly correlated with ilgnin content (0.54). Wood swelling showed positive and highly correlated with holoceiluiose content (0.63) and Ilgnin content (0.56). Path coefficient analysis showed that the maximum Indirect effect was registered higher In phenotypic correlation by vessel diameter through wood density (0.94).