Conference paper
Heartwood oil induction in Santalum austrocaledonicum
ACIAR Proceedings 150, pp.214-229
Sandalwood Regional Forum (Port Vila, Vanuatu, 11-Nov-2019 - 13-Nov-2019)
ACIAR Proceedings Series, 150, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
2021
Abstract
The value of a sandalwood tree is determined by the mass of its heartwood and the concentration and quality of the oil contained within. The development of heartwood takes many years and methods for stimulating its induction can improve commercial viability of production. Two experiments were undertaken to test the hypotheses that wounding and chemical treatment in branches could induce oil production, and that non-wounding chemical treatment of trees could increase heartwood oils. In the first experiment, tree branches were drilled and treated with one of eight compounds (ethrel, auxin, cytokinin, methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, gibberellic, paclobutrazol and sterile water) and a non-wounded control. All treatments stimulated sandalwood oil production relative to non-wounding and oil concentration continued to increase 8 months after wounding, with no statistical difference between treatments. Essential oil composition was influenced by treatment with ethrel stimulating santalol production and all remaining treatments stimulating lanceol. In the second experiment, exogenous application of: (1) ethrel (as a foliage spray and root drench); and (2) paclobutrazol (as a root drench only) was used to test non-wounding efficacy of these plant growth regulators. These treatments demonstrated an increase in sandalwood oil production within treated trees, with the paclobutrazol having the greatest effect. Heartwood area and heartwood to sapwood ratio in these treated trees were also greater than the control, although this was not significant. This study demonstrated that heartwood oil production can be stimulated through controlled wounding of stem tissues. The application of plant growth regulators during the process of wounding can influence the chemical composition of the heartwood oils produced. Exogenous 21 tEChNICal PaPERS: BIOChEmIStRy aND BIOlOGy, PaPER 21 | 215 application of ethrel (roots or canopy) and paclobutrazol (roots) can potentially increase heartwood oil concentration relative to untreated trees. This research has potential practical application for operational stimulation of heartwood in Santalum austrocaledonicum.
Details
- Title
- Heartwood oil induction in Santalum austrocaledonicum
- Authors
- J Moniodis (Author) - University of Western AustraliaTony Page (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Forest Industries Research CentreE L Barbour (Author) - University of Western AustraliaP Finnegan (Author) - University of Western Australia
- Publication details
- ACIAR Proceedings 150, pp.214-229
- Conference details
- Sandalwood Regional Forum (Port Vila, Vanuatu, 11-Nov-2019 - 13-Nov-2019)
- Series
- ACIAR Proceedings Series; 150
- Publisher
- Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
- ISSN
- 1447-0837
- ISBN
- 9781922635754
- Organisation Unit
- Forest Research Institute; Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre; Tropical Forests & People Research Centre; Sustainability Research Centre
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99659697102621
- Output Type
- Conference paper
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