Genetic Control of Forest Tree Traits and Their Interaction with Environment

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 6665

Special Issue Editor

Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901-83 Umeå, Sweden
Interests: forest breeding; genomic selection; trees local adaptation; genetics of wood formation; forest biodiversity; inbreeding/inbreeding depression

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable forestry is a cornerstone in the transition to the post-carbon economy, where forests play a key role as a source of sustainable biomass. The growing demand for biomass is being challenges by the negative impact of climate change on forest productivity caused by multiple biotic and abiotic stress. This urges a better understanding of the genetic control of forest tree traits associated to production, and to develop models for accelerated assisted adaptation of our forests to guarantee a healthy and productive feedstock. We call for research works in the field of forest genetics that advance our understanding on the genetic control of forest tree traits of economic and ecological value, and their interaction with a changing environment. We encourage for research works that provide novel models for the implementation of genomics and remote sensing tools to accelerate and assist forest genetic adaptation to secure production and biodiversity.

Dr. María Rosario García-Gil
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • statistical genetics
  • population genetics
  • biodiversity
  • QTL analysis
  • Omics
  • biotic stress
  • abiotic stress
  • remote sensing

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 2311 KiB  
Communication
The Effects of Frost Cracks and Large Poplar Borer Damage on Stem Rot in Hybrid Aspen (Populus tremula L. × Populus tremuloides Michx.) Clones
by Roberts Čakšs, Pauls Zeltiņš, Linda Čakša, Mārtiņš Zeps and Āris Jansons
Forests 2022, 13(4), 593; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13040593 - 10 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
Hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × Populus tremuloides Michx.) plantations may produce valuable sawlogs for the growing timber market and contribute to carbon sequestration. However, environmental risks such as stem rot, the spread of which is facilitated by insect or frost damage, [...] Read more.
Hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × Populus tremuloides Michx.) plantations may produce valuable sawlogs for the growing timber market and contribute to carbon sequestration. However, environmental risks such as stem rot, the spread of which is facilitated by insect or frost damage, may reduce the proportion of valuable timber. It is important to understand the various factors affecting the spread of aspen rot to mitigate negative impacts with tree breeding. This study aimed to assess the impact of frost cracks and large poplar borer on stem rot in hybrid aspen clones in two clonal trials in Latvia. Genetic parameters for the traits were also estimated. The presence of insect passages substantially increased the probability of stem rot without distinct clonal differences. A negative and mainly insignificant correlation was observed between rot and stem cracking. The highest broad-sense heritability (H2 = 0.21) and strong site-site genotypic correlation (0.86) showed that the probability of stem rot is genetically determined in the study material. Significant differences in diameter at breast height, the presence of stem rot, and its severity were found among the clones, albeit without undesirable positive correlation between growth and presence of decay. This indicated its potential to improve both productivity and rot resistance. Full article
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17 pages, 2049 KiB  
Article
Multi-Level Genetic Variation and Selection Strategy of Neolamarckia cadamba in Successive Years
by Qingmin Que, Chunmei Li, Buye Li, Huiyun Song, Pei Li, Ruiqi Pian, Huaqing Li, Xiaoyang Chen and Kunxi Ouyang
Forests 2021, 12(11), 1455; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12111455 - 25 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1313
Abstract
Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser is a tropical evergreen broadleaf tree species that could play an important role in meeting the increasing demand for wood products. However, multi-level genetic variation and selection efficiency for growth traits in N. cadamba is poorly characterized. We therefore [...] Read more.
Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser is a tropical evergreen broadleaf tree species that could play an important role in meeting the increasing demand for wood products. However, multi-level genetic variation and selection efficiency for growth traits in N. cadamba is poorly characterized. We therefore investigated the efficiency of early selection in N. cadamba by monitoring the height (HT), diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree volume (V) in 39 half-sib families from 11 provenances at ages 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 years in a progeny test. Age-related trends in growth rate, genetic parameters in multi-level, efficiency of early selection, and realized gain in multi-level for growth traits were analyzed. The result showed that genetic variation among families within provenances was higher than that among provenances. The estimated individual heritability values for the growth traits ranged from 0.05 to 0.26, indicating that the variation of growth traits in N. cadamba was subject to weak or intermediate genetic control. The age–age genetic correlations for growth traits were always positive and high (0.51–0.99), and the relationships between the genetic/phenotypic correlations and the logarithm of the age ratio (LAR) were described well by linear models (R2 > 0.85, except the fitting coefficient of genetic correlation and LAR for HT was 0.35). On the basis of an early selection efficiency analysis, we found that it is the best time to perform early selection for N. cadamba at age 5 before half-rotation, and the selection efficiencies were 157.28%, 151.56%, and 127.08% for V, DBH, and HT, respectively. Higher realized gain can be obtained by selecting superior trees from superior families. These results can be expected to provide theoretical guidance and materials for breeding programs in N. cadamba and can even be a reference for breeding strategies of other fast-growing tree species. Full article
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12 pages, 2020 KiB  
Article
Genetic Diversity and Population Genetic Structure of Ancient Platycladus orientalis L. (Cupressaceae) in the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River by Chloroplast Microsatellite Markers
by Bei Cui, Ping Deng, Sheng Zhang and Zhong Zhao
Forests 2021, 12(5), 592; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12050592 - 09 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2426
Abstract
Ancient trees are famous for their life spans of hundreds or even thousands of years. These trees are rare, a testament to history and are important for scientific research. Platycladus orientalis, with the longest life span and a beautiful trunk, has become [...] Read more.
Ancient trees are famous for their life spans of hundreds or even thousands of years. These trees are rare, a testament to history and are important for scientific research. Platycladus orientalis, with the longest life span and a beautiful trunk, has become the most widely planted tree species and is believed to be sacred in China. Extensive declines in habitat area and quality pose the greatest threats to the loss of genetic diversity of ancient P. orientalis trees in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Strengthening the protection of P. orientalis genetic resources is of great significance for the long-term development of reasonable conservation and breeding strategies. To better understand the genetic diversity and population structure of P. orientalis, we successfully analyzed four polymorphic chloroplast simple sequence repeat (cpSSR) loci and applied them to diversity and population structure analyses of 202 individuals from 13 populations in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Based on the cpSSR data, 16 alleles were detected across 202 individuals, and a moderate level of genetic diversity was inferred from the genetic diversity parameters (H = 0.367 and AR = 1.964). The mean pairwise genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst) between populations was 0.153, indicating relatively high genetic population differentiations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that only 8% of the variation occurred among populations. Structure analysis divided the 13 P. orientalis populations into two groups with no significant geographic population structure, which was consistent with the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and Mantel test results. These results may indicate that transplanting and cultivation by ancient human activities are the main factors responsible for the revealed pattern of genetic differentiation of ancient P. orientalis populations. Our research is of great significance for the future establishment of protection schemes and scientific breeding of P. orientalis. Full article
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