Improved Planting Material of the Tung Tree: A Process Report

Abstract

The nature of the variation in flowering habit and yield which is found in a seedling Of Aleurites Montana has been described in two previous papers in this Journal [1] [2]. Briefly, some 40 to 50 per cent of the trees are predominantly male and therefore bear very little fruit, while the remainder, which are known as "bearers", produce a much higher proportion of female flowers and consequently let very much more fruit. These facts are illustrated by the figures of Table I, which show the average yields per tree of a seedling plantation of 123 trees from three Years old, when they began fruiting, to the tenth year. The plantation contained 48 males (39 per cent), and the very small contribution made by these trees to the total yield is readily seen from the second line of figures. There is Considerable yield variation within the bearing trees, the majority giving only moderate yields, while a small proportion are exceptionally good. This can be seen from a comparison of lines 3 and 4 of Table I, and also from Table II, which shows the frequency distribution of the 75 bearing trees according to their yields in the tenth year.