Book your 2025 order of improved durable eucalypt seedlings

5New Zealand Dryland Forests Innovation (NZDFI) has a vision for New Zealand to develop a multi-regional sustainable hardwood industry based on our improved durable eucalypts. We are now taking bookings for orders from forest growers and farm foresters for our XyloGene improved durable eucalypt nursery stock for planting in spring 2025.

XyloGene nursery stock is produced from seed collected either in clonal seed orchards (CSO), or from elite trees of top families identified within our breeding trials (SSS) in north-eastern New Zealand.

For 2025 we are continuing to contract with Morgans Road Nursery (Blenheim, Marlborough) for production of XyloGene nursery stock. We have 17 years’ experience working with them in the propagation of high-quality containerised (Hillson root trainer) seedlings.

Their propagation method is to germinate seed in trays and then prick out germinants. This maximizes use of our improved seed while eliminating poor quality germinants. We work closely with them from propagation to seedling dispatch.

XyloGene seedlings and royalty charges for 2025

For 2025 NZDFI has seedlings of improved genetic quality available, thanks to advances made by our tree breeding programme. Germplasm selected after testing in New Zealand environments with varying biotic and abiotic factors that influence tree growth has an advantage over unpedigreed provenance collections imported from Australia or those made from NZ stands planted with only one or two provenances. Our first-generation improved seed of mixed family origin will express outcrossing vigour and improved wood properties.

NZDFI have seedlots of genetically improved seed from:

• Proseed’s E. bosistoana and E. globoidea clonal seed orchards
• the trees of top ranked families in our E. globoidea progeny trials that have been converted to seed stands.

For the forest grower wanting to plant in 2025, these are the best genetics available and will produce increased productivity and quality gains at the end of rotation.

The different levels of genetic quality and the royalty charges are described in the list of seedlings being produced for purchase in 2024 – see below. Our royalty charges contribute to continuing our R&D programme.

In addition, we are offering the following durable eucalypt species with a royalty of 5c per seedling:

E. cladocalyx (Sugar gum) – Proseed landrace seedling seed stand (SSS) seedlot.
E. cladocalyx – NZ Dryland Forests Initiative (nzdfi.org.nz)

E. quadrangulata (White topped box) – Proseed NZ landrace seedling seed stand (SSS) seedlot.
E. quadrangulata – NZ Dryland Forests Initiative (nzdfi.org.nz)

E. macrorhyncha (Red stringybark) – Proseed NZ seedling seed stand (SSS) seedlot.

2025 seedling prices

Our 2025 seedling prices include seed and seedling production costs; brand promotion and sales management; administration charges. Prices are ex -nursery and do not include packing and transport costs.

NOTE: the royalty will be charged in addition to these prices based on the final number of seedlings purchased.

Seedling Packing and Transport

For large orders Morgans Road will pack your seedlings into DLE boxes with a waterproof liner ready for immediate planting. Each box contains 100 seedlings with the packing cost $2.61 per box excluding GST.

As an alternative, we offer re-usable XyloGene seedling boxes that can be booked for larger orders that can be broken down and returned to the nursery. A packing charge will still apply.

For sales of over 500 seedlings outside of Marlborough, seedlings will be packed into boxes and onto pallets for transport to ensure they arrive in good condition for immediate planting. For smaller orders (500 or less) seedlings can be left in their root trainers and packed into open cardboard boxes for transport by courier.

Morgans Road is committed to careful packing and transport to maintain seedling condition for planting. However, there can be transport delays so your seedlings should be planted without further delay.

Placing an order for 2025 season

To place an order for 2025 please contact Paul Millen, NZDFI Project Manager p.millen@xtra.co.nz

In March 2025, Morgans Road will advise NZDFI on their propagation success and seedling numbers they have under production. NZDFI will confirm orders and request payment of a 25% deposit of the seedling price for orders over 5,000 seedlings.

Seedlings will be ready for dispatch from late July 2025 with booking of the timing for packing and dispatch to be via Paul Millen, not Morgans Road Nursery.

An invoice for final seedling payment will be based on the actual number dispatched and associated packing and transport costs less the deposit (if paid).

In the event that the seedlings cannot be supplied then the deposit will be refunded accordingly.

Placing an order for 2025 season

Early bird bookings are open for 2025, with seedlings available at 2024 prices provided bookings are made by July 31st 2024. Note that this offer only applys to orders of 5,000 seedlings or more.

Cancelling an order for 2025 season

If an order is cancelled prior to 30th June 2025 then the deposit will be fully refunded less an administration fee of $100. Any cancellations after this date, NZDFIP retain the right to withhold full repayment of the deposit to offset the growing costs unless an alternative sale of the seedlings is arranged.

Seedling sale IP agreement

All seedling sales by NZDFIP will include a royalty charge and the purchaser agreement to the following conditions:

• The seedlings cannot be used for production of cuttings or any other vegetative propagules.
• The seedlings cannot be used for breeding purposes.
• Seedling genetic classification is based on breeding information for each seedlot and remains the property of the NZDFIP. Specific seedlot information can be requested.

Placement of an order is deemed acceptance of these conditions.