Las técnicas de selección y propagación en la mejora genética del alcornoque

The role and importance of the techniques of propagation and selection in the cork oak breeding programs are discussed. In the field of propagation, the characteristics of sexuai reproduction are discussed. The author recommends the use of medium or small acorns and empbasizes the need of improving acorn storage procedures. Considering vegetative propagation as the best method to obtain maximal genetic gains, the author emphasizes the difficulties found in the use of cuttings, the fairly good results obtained with grafts, and the promising experiences of tissue culture. The importance of rejuvenating techniques using stump sprouts and suckers for vegetative propagation is strongly emphasized. The selection superior trees for breeding programs in the cork oak is difficult because of the lack of previous experience in genetics of bark production. An experimental method, developed in the province of Cidiz with the help of ICONA, is described. This method is based in an accurate measurement of a number of tree pararneters which are evaluated at the end of a complete harvest cycle (9 years).