ACACIAS: VARIATION BETWEEN SPECIES IN EARLY GROWTH AND A FEW DROUGHT-ADAPTIVE ATTRIBUTES

Abstract

Fifteen species of Acacia, one each from Guatemala, Papua New Guinea and Kenya, and five from Australia were field-planted in a statistically designed experiment in 2 m squares. Three years after planting, height and growth plus bark moisture content, total chlorophyll content, stomatal resistance and transpiration rate were recorded. Differences between species were significant in respect of all variables. Acacia auriculiformis possessed the least value for transpiration rate and maximum values for other variables. Inter se correlation among the variables revealed height growth to be associated positively with bark moisture content and total chlorophyll content and negatively with transpiration rate. Transpiration rates showed inverse relationships with all variables except diameter at breast height.