Clones or improved seedlings of Eucalyptus? Not a simple choice

The industrial use of hybrid eucalypt clones has been hugely successful in Brazil and a limited number of other countries but there are many circumstances where it is less risky and more economically sustainable to plant seedlings. This is particularly true for difficult-to-root pure species and for organizations which do not have the financial and technical resources to manage a sustainable clonal program. Type of planting stock does not add value per se; it is the ultimate return from the harvested crop which matters to growers. Case-by-case analysis of deployment options is recommended, taking into account the growers’ objectives; species biology; technical capabilities and budget for R&D; and the scale of nursery production which greatly affects plant unit costs. To assist such decisions pros and cons of clonal forestry are presented together with the technical requirements for clonal and seed production programs and for the middle course of vegetative multiplying tested superior families. Some case study examples are discussed.