GENETIC VARIABILITY WITHIN TAGASASTE

Abstract

A collection of 65 accessions of tagasaste was grown in Palmerston North for description and analysis of potentially useful variation within the species. Variability within populations of tagasaste was high (74-90% of the phenotypic variation) but differences between populations were also evident. In particular there is a large amount of potentially useful variation both within and between populations for production and growth habit. Initial evidence suggests that much of this variation is heritable, with broad-sense heritabilities ranging from 36-64%, and that the potential for breeding Improved varieties is good. Keywords: Browse shrubs, plant breeding, growth habit, heritability Chamaecytisus palmensis.