A Review on Tree Improvement through Candidate Plus Tree Selection (CPTs) in Indian Butter Tree (Madhuca spp)

Tree breeding is the applied branch of biology deal with application principles of genetics, reproductive biology and economics to the genetic improvement and management of forest tree species. The selection of candidate plus tree (CPTs) is considered as an important and foremost stage in tree improvement program in forest species. The tree breeding or tree improvement is a branch of forestry, emerging as an integral part of afforestation and reforestation activities along with commercial production of forest products through the development of genetically improved planting stock for utilization. Tree improvement simply underlines the application of forest genetics principles within a given silvicultural system for the process of improving the genetic quality of the forest, with the goals to improve the genetic value of the population. In general, the tree improvement program comprises the all practices which are designed to produce genetically more desirable trees individuals. Mahua (Madhuca longifolia (L.) J. F. Macbr.) is a multipurpose tropical forest tree mainly harvested in the wild in Southern Asia for its edible flowers and oil yielding seeds. The recent modern era evolved biotechnological tools must be utilized for fasten the tree breeding program. The elite germplasm may be screened at seedling stage must be evaluated as rootstock for desirable traits.