Forest Tree Breeding and Directed Cultivation Techniques

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Genetics and Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2022) | Viewed by 9468

Special Issue Editors

State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Interests: tree breeding; tree cultivation; tree biotechnology
State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Interests: trees breeding; genetic engineering; abiotic stress; biotic stress; resistant mechanism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: genetic resources; genetic diversity evaluation; genetic transformation; mutation breeding; polyploid breeding; cross breeding; asexual reproduction; plant biotechnology; rejuvenation; adventitious root formation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Breeding forest species can be a costly and slow process because of the large area required for field trials and the long time required to measure economically and environmentally relevant phenotypes. Directional cultivation of seedlings is an inevitable trend and particularly important, as directional cultivation technology can make the tree morphology and physiological characteristics as far as possible in line with the actual situation of a forest, and greatly improve the survival rate of an artificial forest. This Special Issue aims to explore better targeted breeding techniques and advanced forestry management practices for tree breeding. We invite forestry researchers to discuss the suitable seedling cultivation methods and techniques and the rapid propagation method of selecting individuals for different forest species to cultivate high quality seedling and lay the foundation for forest construction. In this issue, studies on forestry breeding, directed cultivation technologies and forest tree cultivation management measures are warmly welcomed. The directional cultivation technology is not mature at present, so papers submitted in this Special Issue are expected to emphatically discuss the advanced technical strategy and key points of directional cultivation.

Prof. Dr. Chenghao Li
Dr. Jingli Yang
Dr. Yuhan Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • tree breeding
  • forest tree
  • directional cultivation
  • cultivation method
  • micropropagation
  • grafting
  • cutting

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3828 KiB  
Article
Growth Rhythm Analysis of Young Stand and Selection of Superior Families in Choerospondias axillaris
by Guangyou Li, Jianmin Xu, Juan Li, Canzhang Lu, Haifei Lu, Baoying Mai, Mingdao Luo and Chunjie Fan
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2145; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13122145 - 14 Dec 2022
Viewed by 991
Abstract
As an important source of medicine, food, and high-quality wood, Choerospondias axillaris has been widely planted in South China. However, few studies of its growth traits and rhythm and concerning the selection of superior provenances/families were developed. In this study, 77 families from [...] Read more.
As an important source of medicine, food, and high-quality wood, Choerospondias axillaris has been widely planted in South China. However, few studies of its growth traits and rhythm and concerning the selection of superior provenances/families were developed. In this study, 77 families from five provenances were studied and grouped. Tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and crown width within and between rows were measured. The relevance between growth traits and environmental factors was also analyzed. The results showed the height, DBH, and crown width within and between rows were divided into slow, mean, and fast growth periods, which was significantly related with sunshine hours in earlier months. Next, monthly rainfall showed an extremely positive correlation with the increase in tree height, DBH, and plant volume. Then, the monthly volume increment had a significantly positive correlation with five meteorological factors, excluding sunshine hours with increasing months, while the monthly growth of tree height and crown width within and between rows was significantly negatively correlated with sunshine hours. Based on these results, the superior families No. 15, 76, and 56, which originated from the Raoping provenance, were selected for their fast growth and available adaptation. These results provided the reliable growth rhythm of a young C. axillaris stand, which established a basis for fertilizing and forest tending. During these processes, meteorological factors, especially humidity and sunshine duration, had important effects on growth, implying that the external climate should be paid more attention to promote fast growth and prevent diseases and insect pests. Moreover, selecting superior families was helpful to further breeding and plantation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Breeding and Directed Cultivation Techniques)
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15 pages, 2475 KiB  
Article
Genetic Parameters and Genotype–Environment Interactions in Paulownia Clonal Tests in Temperate and Subtropical Regions of China
by Yang Zhao, Yanzhi Feng, Chaowei Yang, Jie Qiao, Haijiang Zhou, Fangdong Li and Baoping Wang
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2113; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13122113 - 10 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1002
Abstract
Clonal forestry has developed rapidly in recent years and already plays a significant role in commercial tree plantations worldwide. Clonal breeding requires accurate assessments of genetic parameters, together with measurements of clonal productivity, stability, and adaptably. However, relevant studies for clones of Paulownia [...] Read more.
Clonal forestry has developed rapidly in recent years and already plays a significant role in commercial tree plantations worldwide. Clonal breeding requires accurate assessments of genetic parameters, together with measurements of clonal productivity, stability, and adaptably. However, relevant studies for clones of Paulownia spp. genotypes are rare. We therefore conducted clonal tests on twenty Paulownia clones established at three sites in the temperate and subtropical regions of China. Trees were planted in a randomized block design, with four replications in each site, twenty plots in each block, and six to eight individuals of the same clone in each plot. We measured the trunk diameter at breast height (DBH), total trunk height (Ht), and individual stand volume of 7-year-old trees to estimate genetic parameters and analyze genotype–environment interactions. A combined analysis of variance indicated that clonal, site, and clone–site interactions significantly affected the three growth traits. Clonal heritability and individual heritability were 0.35–0.84 and 0.07–0.30, respectively. The phenotypic and genetic correlation coefficients among the growth traits were 0.46–0.93 and 0.85–0.99, respectively. There were extremely significant positive linear relationships between the best linear unbiased predictors for DBH and the original DBH values (R2 > 0.98). Clones 10, 2, 18, and 13 were selected for deployment based on a selection intensity of 1.4, GGE biplots, and the relative performance of harmonic means on genotypic values analysis. For these clones, the genetic gains in DBH, Ht, and volume were 18.05%, 21.46%, and 46.03%, respectively. These results provide useful information for the selection of Paulownia clones at the target sites and will provide a sound basis for improving Paulownia clonal breeding programs in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Breeding and Directed Cultivation Techniques)
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20 pages, 5634 KiB  
Article
The Interconnected Relationship between Auxin Concentration Gradient Changes in Chinese Fir Radial Stems and Dynamic Cambial Activity
by Liwei Yang and Sheng Zhu
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1698; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13101698 - 15 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1246
Abstract
Auxin has been shown to exhibit a striking concentration gradient distribution in radial sections of angiosperm and gymnosperm species, in which peak auxin levels are concentrated in dividing cambial cells, while the absolute auxin concentration sharply declines toward developing secondary phloem and xylem [...] Read more.
Auxin has been shown to exhibit a striking concentration gradient distribution in radial sections of angiosperm and gymnosperm species, in which peak auxin levels are concentrated in dividing cambial cells, while the absolute auxin concentration sharply declines toward developing secondary phloem and xylem regions. The coincidence of auxin concentration gradient across shoot tissues and xylem cell developmental gradient has prompted that auxin could act as “a plant morphogen” to provide a positional signal for cambial cell development. However, the specific location of vascular cambium and the lack of mutants altering auxin distribution in shoots of woody species made further verification experiments difficult to explore. To address this issue, different concentrations of exogenous IAA were applied to decapitated Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) trunks in this study to induce the change in the auxin concentration gradient in radial stems, and its effects on cambial activities were examined on the physiological, cellular and molecular levels. Our findings manifested that exogenous IAA treatments resulted in vast changes in endogenous hormone concentrations (including IAA, ZR, GA3 and ABA), cambial cell developmental behaviors and transcriptional activities of genes related to polar auxin transport (PAT), auxin signaling, the biosynthesis and signal transduction of other plant hormones and the genetic control of cambial activity. Based on above findings, we postulated a model of auxin concentration gradient involved in the control of cambial activity and secondary growth in tree trunks. In this model, the contrasting expression of AUX1/LAX and PIN family carriers in distinct Chinese fir wood-forming tissues dynamically modulates PAT into the cambial zone adjacent to the secondary phloem side and secondary xylem tissues, resulting in a sharp and wide auxin spatial gradient distribution across shoots in different stages of secondary growth, respectively. This change in auxin concentration gradient distribution in radial sections in turn acts on cambial developmental behaviors by modulating the expression of auxin signaling genes and key transcription factors and the production of other plant hormones in distinct woody tissues. Findings in this study provide important insights for understanding the biological significance of auxin concentration gradient existing in the radial stems of woody species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Breeding and Directed Cultivation Techniques)
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15 pages, 6510 KiB  
Article
Primary Selection of Excellent Catalpa fargesii Clones Based on Growth and Wood Properties
by Xiaochi Yu, Feng Li, Qiuling Zhao, Junhui Wang, Ying Liu, Fei Yi, Xiaolong Guo, Peng Zhang and Wenjun Ma
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1659; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13101659 - 10 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1102
Abstract
To select excellent clones characterized by fast growth and high-quality wood of Catalpa fargesii Bur., growth traits, including height and diameter at breast height (DBH) at 1, 9, 11 and 13 years old, were collected and wood properties, including the Pilodyn value and [...] Read more.
To select excellent clones characterized by fast growth and high-quality wood of Catalpa fargesii Bur., growth traits, including height and diameter at breast height (DBH) at 1, 9, 11 and 13 years old, were collected and wood properties, including the Pilodyn value and elastic modulus at age 13 of 200 clones of C. fargesii from different ecological areas (four provinces), were measured. Genetic variation analysis and repeatability estimation were carried out. The correlation between the characteristics and the correlation between the characteristics and the geographical and climatic factors were analyzed. Excellent clones were selected by a comprehensive evaluation method combined with breeding values. The traits of C. fargesii were significantly different among the clones. The coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 12.12% to 26.17%, and the repeatability (R) ranged from 0.79 to 0.97. The growth traits among ages of 9, 11 and 13 were significantly correlated, and the growth traits at ages of 9, 11 and 13 and Pilodyn values at the age of 13 were positively correlated with altitude and negatively correlated with longitude. Tree growth at ages of 11 and 13 showed a high negative correlation with wood properties. The suitable tree age for the early selection of clones with excellent growth and wood properties is 11 years old. Nine clones with excellent growth, six clones with high-quality wood and three clones with great growth and wood properties were selected, which laid a foundation for further optimization of C. fargesii clones. Additionally, C. fargesii clones in the western and high-altitude areas featured fast growth, while those in the eastern and low-altitude areas had better wood properties. This study serves as a reference for the selection of C. fargesii clones in different ecological areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Breeding and Directed Cultivation Techniques)
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12 pages, 2100 KiB  
Article
Rapid and Efficient Regeneration of Populus ussuriensis Kom. from Root Explants through Direct De Novo Shoot Organogenesis
by Shuyu Yang, Runze Liu, Wenlong Li, Yanan Jing, Solme Pak and Chenghao Li
Forests 2022, 13(5), 806; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13050806 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2268
Abstract
Populus ussuriensis is an important tree species with high economic and ecologic values. However, traditional sexual propagation is time-consuming and inefficient, challenging afforestation and wood production using P. ussuriensis, and requires a rapid and efficient regeneration system. The present study established a [...] Read more.
Populus ussuriensis is an important tree species with high economic and ecologic values. However, traditional sexual propagation is time-consuming and inefficient, challenging afforestation and wood production using P. ussuriensis, and requires a rapid and efficient regeneration system. The present study established a rapid, efficient, and stable shoot regeneration method from root explants in P. ussuriensis using several plant growth regulators. Most shoot buds (15.2 per explant) were induced at high efficiency under WPM medium supplemented with 221.98 μM 6-BA, 147.61 μM IBA, and 4.54 μM TDZ within two weeks. The shoot buds were further multiplicated and elongated under WPM medium supplemented with 221.98 μM 6-BA, 147.61 μM IBA, and 57.74 μM GA3 for four weeks. The average number and efficiency of elongation of multiplication and elongation for induced shoot buds were 75.2 and 78%, respectively. All the shoots were rooted within a week and none of them showed abnormality in rooting. The time spent for the entire regeneration of this direct shoot organogenesis was seven weeks, much shorter than conventional indirect organogenesis with the callus induction phase, and no abnormal growth was observed. This novel regeneration system will not only promote the massive propagation, but also accelerate the genetic engineering studies for trait improvement of P. ussuriensis species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Breeding and Directed Cultivation Techniques)
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Review

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22 pages, 1346 KiB  
Review
The Development of Forest Genetic Breeding and the Application of Genome Selection and CRISPR/Cas9 in Forest Breeding
by Ye Zhao, Yanting Tian, Yuhan Sun and Yun Li
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2116; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13122116 - 10 Dec 2022
Viewed by 2147
Abstract
With the birth of classical genetics, forest genetic breeding has laid a foundation in the formation of the basic theories of population genetics, quantitative genetics, cytogenetics, and molecular genetics. Driven by the rapid growth of social demand for wood and other forest products, [...] Read more.
With the birth of classical genetics, forest genetic breeding has laid a foundation in the formation of the basic theories of population genetics, quantitative genetics, cytogenetics, and molecular genetics. Driven by the rapid growth of social demand for wood and other forest products, modern genetics, biotechnology, biostatistics, crop and animal husbandry breeding theories, and technical achievements have been continuously introduced for innovation, thus forming a close combination of genetic basic research and breeding practice. Forest tree breeding research in the world has a history of more than 200 years. By the middle of the 20th century, the forest tree genetic breeding system was gradually formed. After entering the 21st century, the in-depth development stage of molecular design breeding was opened. With the continuous improvement of traditional genetic breeding methods, emerging modern bioengineering technology has also continuously promoted the development of forest genetic breeding. This study mainly summarizes the research history of forest tree genetics and breeding, as well as discusses the application of modern bioengineering technology represented by genome selection and gene editing in forest tree breeding, so as to provide better reference for forest tree breeding research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Breeding and Directed Cultivation Techniques)
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