Biotechnology enhances utilization of Australian woody species for pulp, fuel and land rehabilitation

Selection and micropropagation of superior genotypes of species of Australian genera such as Eucalyptus, Acacia, Melaleuca and Casuarina offers a way of capitalizing on Australia's genetic resources without necessarily breaking the tradition of unrestricted export of seed for international forestry. A collaborative program of research and development between Alcoa (Australia), CSIRO Division of Forestry and Forest Products, The University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, North Broken Hill Ltd (APPM Forest Products) and Plantex (Australia) has examined the potential for the use of selected clones of species tolerant to saline waterlogging, and elite selections of E. Globulus and E. nitens for paper pulp production