Abstract
Khaya senegalensis (African mahogany), a member of the Meliaceae family is an internationally important, high-value, forest tree species that has great potential for plantation expansion in northern Australia (Nikles et al., 2008). Meliaceous timbers, marketed internationally under the trade name 'mahogany', have been long regarded as premium quality woods for use in cabinet and joinery applications (Armstrong et al., 2007). Diminishing supplies of mahoganies have resulted in increased expansion of new plantations of Khaya species in Africa (Opuni-Frimpong et al., 2008), Asia (Lim et al., 2008) and Australia (Nikles et al., 2004). In northern Australia, over 12,000 hectares of K. senegalensis plantations have been established since 2006, primarily in the Northern Territory, but also in Queensland and Western Australia (Dickinson, 2011). All Australian plantations are derived from unimproved seed of native trees in Africa or from Australian sources. Genetic improvement of this species for Australian conditions is urgently required to improve growth, straightness, average bole length, branching and wood quality (increased heartwood percentage) in short-rotation plantations (Nikles et al., 2008).