Domestication and use of Australian acacias: case studies of five important species

Abstract

Some Acacia species native to Australia and neighbouring countries are significant in the rural economy of many countries. Aspects of the domestication process and uses of A. mangium, A. crassicarpa, A. mearnsii, A.�saligna and A. colei are reviewed. Commercial plantations of A. mearnsii in tropical highlands and temperate areas provide high quality tannins for adhesives and leather making and wood for paper pulp, rayon, charcoal and small-utility timbers. Plantations of A. saligna in warm-temperate and semi-arid areas provide stock fodder, soil stabilisation, fuelwood and charcoal. In the humid tropical lowlands of South-east Asia, pulpwood is produced in extensive plantings of A. mangium and in smaller-scale plantations of A. crassicarpa in Indonesia. The human food value of seeds of some dry-zone Australian acacias, such as A. colei, is recognised. Domestication of these and other Australian acacias is at various stages and is influenced by the characteristics of the species, extent of planting and the commercial value of the products. The potential for many acacias to become weeds is recognised. The case studies highlight a number of important aspects in domesticating acacias.

Uromycladium acaciae, the cause of a sudden, severe disease epidemic on Acacia mearnsii in South Africa

“…(Fabaceae, subfamily Mimosoideae; from here referred to as Acacia) in South Africa are either considered weeds, such as A. dealbata and A. saligna, or grown commercially for the production of timber for pulp, and bark for tannins, glues and other products (Midgley and Turnbull 2003;Dobson and Feely 2002). Species of Acacia used by the plantation forestry industry in South Africa include A. decurrens and A. mearnsii, which are planted on over 100,000 ha, mostly in the KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces (South African Forestry and Forest Product Industry Facts 1980.…”

Natural nodulation of Acacia mangium–Acacia auriculiformis hybrids: distribution of the indigenous strains in the nodules

“…Rhizobium soil bacteria spontaneously infect the Acacia root system and form root nodules that have the capacity of directly fixing atmospheric nitrogen like most legumes, thus allowing these species to grow on N-deficient soils (Brockwell et al 2005). Plantations of Acacia species of Australian origin are estimated to occupy about 2 million ha world-wide, and are reported to be continuing to expand rapidly (Midgley and Turnbull 2003).…”

Genetic parameters of growth and survival in Acacia saligna shrubs

“…Some physiological traits of A. saligna have favored the development of some mechanisms for drought tolerance (Nativ et al, 1999;Tiedeman and Johnson, 1992), allowing the settlement of multipurpose plantations under adverse conditions of climate and soil (Degen et al, 1995;Nativ et al, 1999;Midgley and Turnbull, 2003;George et al, 2006). This species has been planted for forage and wood production, as ornamental plant, and for land rehabilitation and soil conservation (Degen et al, 1995;McDonald and Maslin, 2000).…”