Cultivation

The eucalyptus tree grows in subtropical climate regions. Its habitat and main cultivation area is Australia. Eucalyptus trees also are planted in North Africa, South America and South Europe for commercial use. Eucalyptus grandis, E. urophylla and E. camaldulensis are used for cultivation.

Utilisation

Eucalyptus oil is won from the tips of the branches and the leaves of the eucalyptus tree. Cineol, the main ingredient of the oil, acts as an anti-inflammatory.

• This oil mainly is used in the medical field for chronic upper respiratory diseases (asthma) and colds: for such cases, it is used additionally as cough drops and also is applied in cosmetics and as massage oil.

Renewable resources:

• eucalyptus is used as a fast growing wood supply mainly for the paper and cellulose industry.

Gene technology: aims in research and development

Agronomic traits

Adaptation to climate and location factors

• Tolerance to cold

Renewable resources

Modified lignin content

• Lignin is not well utilized technically. It is time-consuming to remove and costly to dispose of. Trees low in lignin could make this process dispensable.
  An elevated absorption of carbon dioxide should lead to a higher cellulose content but at the same time to a lower level of lignin.

Plant development

• Modified fertility characteristics

• Modified growing rate

Field trials with GM eucalyptus