Early Growth Performance and Genetic Variation of Araucaria cunninghamii in Bondowoso, East Java Province, Indonesia

Araucaria cunninghamii is a coniferous tree that has high commercial value for tropical and sub-tropical regions and is used as an alternative raw material for the pulp and paper industry. In order to get a good yield from this species, a progeny test was established in Bondowoso, East Java, and the variation in growth was investigated. This trial included 6 populations, 80 families, and 4 replications of 4-tree row plots spaced 4 m x 2 m. A range of percent survival of 98.81%–99.41%, with an average of 99.20%, was reported for adaptability, showing no significant variations between populations or between families. Significant differences existed between populations and between families in terms of growth in height, diameter, and volume. The best diameter was from the Manokwari population (4.93 cm), while the best height and volume characteristics were from the Jayapura population (5.32 m; 0.0051 m3). Height, diameter, and volume characters have moderate to high heritabilities. The genetic and phenotypic relationships between height and diameter, height and volume, and diameter and volume features were all high and positive. With the family selected at a 30% proportion, the predicted genetic gain for height, diameter, and volume were 3.14%, 5.79%, and 0.00073%, respectively.