scholarly journals Genetics and Improvement of Forest Trees

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Yuji Ide

Forest tree improvement has mainly been implemented to enhance the productivity of artificial forests [...]

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1190
Author(s):  
Vadim G. Lebedev ◽  
Tatyana N. Lebedeva ◽  
Aleksey I. Chernodubov ◽  
Konstantin A. Shestibratov

The breeding of forest trees is only a few decades old, and is a much more complicated, longer, and expensive endeavor than the breeding of agricultural crops. One breeding cycle for forest trees can take 20–30 years. Recent advances in genomics and molecular biology have revolutionized traditional plant breeding based on visual phenotype assessment: the development of different types of molecular markers has made genotype selection possible. Marker-assisted breeding can significantly accelerate the breeding process, but this method has not been shown to be effective for selection of complex traits on forest trees. This new method of genomic selection is based on the analysis of all effects of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using a large number of molecular markers distributed throughout the genome, which makes it possible to assess the genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) of an individual. This approach is expected to be much more efficient for forest tree improvement than traditional breeding. Here, we review the current state of the art in the application of genomic selection in forest tree breeding and discuss different methods of genotyping and phenotyping. We also compare the accuracies of genomic prediction models and highlight the importance of a prior cost-benefit analysis before implementing genomic selection. Perspectives for the further development of this approach in forest breeding are also discussed: expanding the range of species and the list of valuable traits, the application of high-throughput phenotyping methods, and the possibility of using epigenetic variance to improve of forest trees.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella White ◽  
Ribka Sionita Tarigan ◽  
Anak Agung Ketut Aryawan ◽  
Edgar Turner ◽  
Sarah Luke ◽  
...  

<p>Oil palm (OP) growers are under pressure to reduce their environmental impact. Ecosystem function and biodiversity are at the forefront of the issue, but what effect do changes in management practices have on greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from plantations? </p><p>The Riparian Ecosystem Restoration in Tropical Agriculture (RERTA) Project is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the SMART Research Institute in Riau, Indonesia. This project explores the ecological changes resulting from the restoration of riparian margins between plantations and watercourses. Four management strategies were applied on both sides of a river to create 50m riparian buffers, 400m in length: (1) A control treatment of no restoration, the removal of mature OP and replanting of young OP to the river margin; (2) Little to no agricultural management of mature OP; (3) Clearance of mature OP and enrichment planting with native forest trees; (4) Little or no agricultural management of mature OP and enrichment planting with native forest trees. Here we present a specific objective to investigate the effect of riparian restoration – and related changes in soil characteristics, structure and vegetation cover – on fluxes of N<sub>2</sub>O, CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> from mineral soils.</p><p>The experimental site began as a mature OP plantation, with monthly background measurements taken between January and April 2019. Palms were felled in April 2019 and monthly sampling was resumed when replanting and restoration began, in October 2019. We measured GHGs using static chambers; 6 in each riparian treatment and 16 in the actual OP plantation, 40 chambers in total. Samples were analysed using GC-FID/µECD.</p><p>Background measurements before felling showed high variability, but indicated no difference between the four experimental plots and the rest of the plantation. Fluxes measured following replanting were also highly variable, with no significant differences observed between treatments. N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes were relatively low before felling as the mature palms were no longer fertilised. Higher emissions were seen in the disturbed immature OP and forest tree treatments following replanting. Though the sites appeared to recover quickly and emission fluxes decreased after a few months, presumably as the soil settled and new vegetation began to grow. CH<sub>4</sub> uptake was seen in the immature OP treatment immediately after replanting. In subsequent months no clear trends of CH<sub>4</sub> uptake or emission were observed, with the greatest variability generally seen in the forest tree treatment. CH<sub>4</sub> emissions increased in October 2020 with the beginning of the rainy season, most notably in mature OP and mature OP with forest tree treatments. Following restoration CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were higher in treatments with established plant communities – mature OP and mature OP with forest trees.</p><p>These results suggest that riparian restoration had no significant effect on GHG fluxes from mineral soils, and would not alter the overall GHG budget of a plantation. If there is no additional GHG burden and riparian restoration results in enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services as well as improving water quality, it will be a viable management option to improve the environmental impact of an OP plantation.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiyi Yin ◽  
Chun Wang ◽  
Dandan Xiao ◽  
Yanting Liang ◽  
Yanwei Wang

Transgenic technology is increasingly used in forest-tree breeding to overcome the disadvantages of traditional breeding methods, such as a long breeding cycle, complex cultivation environment, and complicated procedures. By introducing exogenous DNA, genes tightly related or contributed to ideal traits—including insect, disease, and herbicide resistance—were transferred into diverse forest trees, and genetically modified (GM) trees including poplars were cultivated. It is beneficial to develop new varieties of GM trees of high quality and promote the genetic improvement of forests. However, the low transformation efficiency has hampered the cultivation of GM trees and the identification of the molecular genetic mechanism in forest trees compared to annual herbaceous plants such as Oryza sativa. In this study, we reviewed advances in transgenic technology of forest trees, including the principles, advantages and disadvantages of diverse genetic transformation methods, and their application for trait improvement. The review provides insight into the establishment and improvement of genetic transformation systems for forest tree species. Challenges and perspectives pertaining to the genetic transformation of forest trees are also discussed.


1939 ◽  
Vol 17c (12) ◽  
pp. 411-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. P. V. Johnson

Over 400 hybrids involving 28 North American genera of forest trees are described in tabular form with the object, primarily, of providing useful information for the forest-tree breeder. The genera involved are: Abies, Acer, Aesculus, Alnus, Arbutus, Betula, Carya, Castanea, Catalpa, Cyprus, Crataegus, Cupressus, Gleditsia, Ilex, Juglans, Larix, Magnolia, Picea, Pinus, Platanus, Populus, Quercus, Robinia, Salix, Taxus, Tilia, Tsuga, and Ulmus.


2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Harwood ◽  
D. J. Bush ◽  
T. Butcher ◽  
R. Bird ◽  
M. Henson ◽  
...  

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-154
Author(s):  
Christine Cahalan
Keyword(s):  

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