Investigation And Evaluation Of Wild Rhododendron Resources In Sichuan Province

The Rhododendron is a sort of beautiful plants with colorful flowers and strong ecological adaptability.China is rich in Rhododendron species distribution. Sichuan Province in southwest of China are both the centres of abundance and diversity in this genus.But researches on Rhododendron resources have been developed few so far in China. In the view of fact,the studies were made on the wild Rhododendron resources in Sichuan.By the methods of line-investigation & plot- investigation, the wild Rhododendron resources have been investigated in western of Sichuan, including Mt.Emei and Mt.Wawu,Mugecuo,Yajiageng, Mt.Zhe-duo, Mt.Paoma in Kangding, Minya Konka in Luding and Danba ,Xiaojin, Mt.Balang in Wenchuan and Huanglong in Songfan. The effection of human activities in R. maculiferum community investigation in sample plots at the top of Mt.wawu was also studied. Based on the systematic investigation of the genus in detail,the evaluation & selection of wild Rhododendron resourses in Sichuan were studies,which can avaid to exploiting in blind.The main results were as follows:1.According to the investigation,32 species in 4 sects 9 subsects 3 subgens were surveyed. And their distribution regions,associated plants,vegetation,ecological environment,morphology,and florescence were also surveyed in detail. According to the investigation, effective measures should been taken to preserve R. intricatum ect. With the present situation,the suggestions have been taken to preserve Rhododendron resources.2. In nature there are variation in species: R. amesiae & R. tatsienense were weeping , R. pachytrichum & R. phaeochrysum were found in reptant, R. polylepis.,ect. were live in trees ,and R. pachytrichum,ect. have specific difference on corolla color. The habit for light of R. oreodoxa &R. pachytrichum were inferred by the method of plot- investigation.3. The results on effection of human activities in R. maculiferum community at the top of Mt.wawu indicate that the structure of R. maculiferum is complete and the number ofâ… â…¡-class seedlings are 51.5%,which shows that the communities are developing stable ones. The human activities mainly effect on seedlings.Different human-caused disturbance effects their recent life-forces obviously.4.Accroding to the characteristics of Rhododendron, 18 appraisal indexes are selected and a multifactorial appraisal system based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP) is developed for the aim of getting the ornamental value exploitation of wide Rhododendron resource.By the multifactoririal appraisal system , 32 Rhododendron species serveyed by investigation in Sichuan were judged,which makes satisfied results.This studies include Rhododendron germplasm resources investigation, evaluation , selection and preserve,which is to provide scientific bases for preserve and usage of wide Rhododendron resources.