Source: USDA Forest Service - Southern Research Station submitted to NRP
INVESTIGATE THE GENETICS OF FOREST TREE ECOSYSTEMS AND TO EXPLORE HOW GENETICS MIGHT BE APPLIED TO ENHANCE FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY.
Sponsoring Institution
Forest Service/USDA
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
USDA INHOUSE
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0197945
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jun 30, 2004
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2009
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
USDA Forest Service - Southern Research Station
200 WEAVER BLVD., PO BOX 2680
ASHEVILLE,NC 28804
Performing Department
SOUTHERN INST OF FOREST GENETICS - SAUCIER, MS
Non Technical Summary
Research is needed to better understand the genetics of forest tree populations to facilitate forest management, tree breeding, and species conservation efforts. This project investigates methods of managing breeding populations to ensure short-term genetic gain and long-term genetic diversity; evolutionary processes that maintain or further differentiate populations and species; and the genetic and physical organization of tree genomes. In addition, programs using 10 years as a selection age for mature volume can confidently reduce their testing period to 7 years. Both of these changes should greatly increase the efficiency of these programs with respect to improving trees for wood volume production.
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
80%
Applied
20%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1230611108020%
1230621108010%
2010611108030%
2010621108010%
2020611108020%
2020621108010%
Knowledge Area
202 - Plant Genetic Resources; 201 - Plant Genome, Genetics, and Genetic Mechanisms; 123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0621 - Broadleaf forests of the South; 0611 - Conifer forests of the South;

Field Of Science
1080 - Genetics;
Goals / Objectives
Problem 1. The public utilizes southern pine forests in many diferent ways and as a result, receives a wide range of
Project Methods
Over the past 50 years, traditional tree breeding programs have made great strides in improving tree growth and form.

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
No progress reported this period

Impacts
In addition, programs using 10 years as a selection age for mature volume can confidently reduce their testing period to 7 years. Both of these changes should greatly increase the efficiency of these programs with respect to improving trees for wood volume production.

Publications

  • Myszewski, J.H. 2003. A comparison of selection and breeding strategies for incorporating wood properties into a Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Elite population breeding program. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University. 126 p. Ph.D. dissertation.
  • Myszewski, J.H.; Bridgwater, F.E.; Byram, T.D.; [and others] 2004. Genetic variation in the microfibril angle of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) [Poster]. Southern Research Station All Scientists Meeting. Atlanta, GA:
  • Nelson , C.D.; Echt, C.S. 2003. A new model for moving forward with marker-based selection. McKinley, C.R.O.S.U. 27th Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference. Stillwater, OK: The National Technical Information Service: 114.
  • Nelson, C.D.; Weng, C.; Kubisiak, T.L.; [and others] 2003. On the number of genes controlling the grass stage in longleaf pine., Journal of Heredity. 94: 392-398.
  • Raley, E.M.; Gwaze, D.P.; Byram, T.D. 2003. An evaluation of height as an early selection criterion for volume and predictor of site index gain in the western gulf. McKinley, C.R.O.S.U. stillwater, OK: The National Technical Information Service: 45-55.
  • Roberds, J.H.; Strom, B.L.; Hain, D.P. 2004. Study of genetic variability in constitutive oleoresin flow and growth traits in young loblolly pine. [Poster]. SRS All Scientists Meeting. Atlanta, GA:
  • Roberds, J.H.; Strom, B.L.; Hain, D.P.; [and others] 2003. Estimates of genetic parameters for oleoresin and growth traits in juvenile loblolly pine., Canadian Journal of Forest Research. (33): 2469-2476.
  • Roberds, J.H.; Strom, B.L.; Hain, F.P. 2003. Genetic and phenotypic variability for constitutive oleoresin flow in loblolly pine. McKinley, C.R.O.S.U. Stillwater, OK: The National Technical Information Service: 102-104.
  • Schmidtling, R.C. 2003. The Southern Pines during the Pleistocene. Acta Horticulture. (615): 203-209.
  • Schmidtling, R.C. 2003. Determining seed transfer guidelines for southern pines. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 8-11.
  • Schmidtling, R.C.; Myszewski, J. 2003. Effect of large-scale movement of loblolly pine seed on genetic integrity of the species in its natural range. Beaulieu, J. Quevec City, Canada: 43-48.
  • Strom, B.L.; Roberds, J.H.; Hain, F.P. 2003. Genetic and phenotypic variation in oleoresin flow and tree growth in a population of loblolly pine. [Poster]. Entomological Socierty of America Annual Meeting. Cincinnati, OH:
  • Yu, Q.; Capanema, E.; Batista, V.B.; [and others] 2004. Tracking down the effects of a rare mutant gene in loblolly pine - a first report. [CD-ROM]. Norcross, GA: TAPPI.
  • Bishir, J.; Roberds, J.H.; Strom, B.L. 2004. On-bark behavior of Dendroctonus frontalis:A Markov chain analysis., Journal of Insect Behavior. (17): 281-301.
  • Davis, J.W.; Morse, A.M.; Huber, D.A.; [and others] 2004. Genetic architecture of loblolly pine interactions with contrasting pathogens. [Abstract]. In: Mundt, C.C. 2004 American Phytopathological Society. Anaheim, CA: The American Phytopathological Society: S133
  • Echt, C.S.; Nelson , C.D. 2004. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, assignee. Microsatellite DNA markers and uses thereof. U.S. patent 6,733,965 B2. May 11, 2004. 104 p. Int. Classif. C12Q 001/68; C12P 019/34; G01N 033/00; C07H 021/02; C07H 021/04.
  • Frank, J.E.; Selgrade, J.F. 2003. Attractors for discrete periodic dynamical systems., Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications. (286): 64-79.
  • Gwaze, D.P.; Byram, T.D.; Raley, E.M. 2003. Performance of Nuttall Oak (Quercus Texana Buckl.) Provennaces in the Western Gulf Region. McKinley, C.O.S.U. Stillwater, OK: The National Technical Information Service: 126-137.
  • Highsmith, M.T.; Lott, L.H.; Gwaze, D.P.; [and others] 2003. Evaluation of the inheritance of tip moth susceptibility using pine hybrids planted in southeast Mississippi. McKinley, C.R.O.S.U. Stillwater, OK: The National Technical Information Service: 208.
  • Islam-Faridi, M.N.; Nelson , C.D.; Kubisiak, T.L.; [and others] 2003. Loblolly pine Karyoty[e using FISH and DAPI positive banding. McKinley, C.R.O.S.U. Stillwater, OK: The National Technical Information Service: 184-188.
  • Kumar, S.; Echt, C.; Wilcox, P.L.; Richardson, T.E. 2004. Testing for linkage disequilibrium in the New Zealand radiata pine breeding population., Theoretical Applied Genetics. (108): 292-298.
  • Lott, L.H.; Lott, L.M.; Stine, M.; [and others] 2003. Top grafting Longleaf x Slash Pine F1 Hybrids on mature Longleaf and Slash Pine interstocks. McKinley, C.R.O.S.U. Stillwater, OK: The National Technical Information Service: 96-101.


Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03

Outputs
Selection age is an important parameter in tree breeding. Selecting at the wrong age reduces the amount of genetic gain that can be captured in tree improvement programs. Determining the optimal selection age is a matter of optimizing between maximum genetic gain per generation and minimum amount of time to complete each generation. Maximum genetic gain per generation is achieved by selecting at rotation age, which can be >20 years in forest trees such as loblolly pine. Minimum generation time is a function of tree age at selection and the additional time needed to induce and obtain seed production. For loblolly pine this has been considered to be 8 years (age 3 years selection and 5 additional years to produce seed). Earlier attempts to determine the optimal selection age have been limited by the lack of long-term data from genetic tests, although the southern tree improvement programs have typically used selection ages from 5 to 10 years. The current accomplishment utilizes the best available, long-term data to develop new estimates for optimal selection age. Both tree height and diameter were used as predictors of rotation-age (25 years) tree volume. For height, the optimal selection age was found to be 7 years, while for diameter it was 8 years. This confirms previous results that suggest that juvenile height is a better predictor of mature volume than is juvenile diameter. Basing selection for mature volume on juvenile height data alone will increase the efficiency of progeny testing in loblolly pine tree improvement programs. In addition, programs using 10 years as a selection age for mature volume can confidently reduce their testing period to 7 years. Both of these changes should greatly increase the efficiency of these programs with respect to improving trees for wood volume production.

Impacts
In addition, programs using 10 years as a selection age for mature volume can confidently reduce their testing period to 7 years. Both of these changes should greatly increase the efficiency of these programs with respect to improving trees for wood volume production.

Publications

  • Blomquist, C.; Kubisiak, T.L. 2003. Laboratory diagnosis of Phytophthora ramorum from field samples. Sudden oak death: How concerned should you be? http://199.86.26.64/Papers/blomquist_kubisiak/default.htm. August 14, 2003.
  • Byram, T.D.; Gwaze, D.P.; Miller, L.G.; [and others] 2002. Fifteith Progress Report of the Cooperative Forest Tree Improvement Program. Final report; 405. Texas Forest Service. College Station, TX: Texas Forest Service. 34 p.
  • Clark, D.; Kulenovic, M.R.S.; Selgrade, J.F. 2003. Global asymptotic behavior of a two-dimensional difference equation modeling competition. Nonlinear Analysis. 52: 1765-1776.
  • Gwaze, D.P.; Bridgwater, F.E.; Williams, C.G. 2002. Genetic analysis of growth curves for woody perennial species., Theor. Appl. Genet. 105: 526-531.
  • Gwaze, D.P.; Bridgwater, F.E. 2002. Determining optimum selection age for diameter and height in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Forest Genetics. 9(2): 159-165.
  • Huang, H.; Layne, D.R.; Kubisiak, T.L. 2002. Molecular characterization of cultivated pawpaw (Asimina triloba) using RAPD markers., Journal of the American Society of Horticulture Science. 128(1): 85-93.
  • Huang, H.; Li, Z.; Kubisiak, T.L.; Layne, D.R. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships in Actinidia as revealed by RAPD analysis., Journal of the American Society of Horticulture Science. 127(5): 759-766.
  • Islam-Faridi, M.N.; Nelson, C.D.; Kubisiak, T.L.; [and others] 2003. Loblolly pine karyotype using FISH and DAPI positive banding. [Poster]. 27th Southern forest Tree Improvement Conference. Stillwater, OK: P13.
  • Islam-Faridi, M.N.; Nelson, C.D.; Kubisiak, T.L.; [and others] 2003. Karyotype of Loblolly Pine using FISH and Fluorochrome Banding. [Poster]. Plant and Animal Genome XI. San Diego, CA: 144.
  • Koehn, A.C.; Roberds, J.H.; Doudrick, R.L. 2003. Variation among slash pine families in chlorophyll fluorescence traits. Canadian Journal Forest Research. 33: 1102-1109.
  • Kubisiak, T.L.; Roberds, J. 2003. Genetic variation in natural populations of American chestnut., Journal of the American Chestnut Foundation. 16(2): 42-48.
  • Myszewski, J.H.; Bridgwater, F.E.; Byram, T.D. 2003. Determination of the minimum number of stool bed ortets required to capture a desirable genotype from full-sibling family crosses., Determination of the minimum number of stool bed ortets required to capture a desirable genotype from full-sibling family crosses. 27(3): 160-163.
  • Nelson, C.D.; Kubisiak, T.L.; Johnson, G.; [and others] 2003. Microsatelite analysis of loblolly pine [Poster]. Plant and Animal Genome XI. San Diego, CA: 214.
  • Nelson, C.D.; Echt, C.S. 2003. Marker-assisted selection in forest tree improvement. [Abstract]. In: IUFRO and Umea Plant Sciences Center. Umea, Sweden: S6.1
  • Richter, S.C.; Young, J.E.; Johnson, G.N.; Seigel, R.A. 2003. Stochastic variation in reproductive success of a rare frog, Rana sevosa: implications for conservation and for monitoring amphibian populations., Biological Conservation. 111: 171-177.
  • Strom, B.L.; Roberds, J.H.; Hain, F.P. 2003. Genetic variation in oleoresin flow and growth traits in a population of loblolly pine. [Abstract]. In: In Forests at Work. 326
  • Weekley, C.W.; Kubisiak, T.L.; Race, T. 2002. Genetic impovrishment and cross-incompatibility in remnant genotypes of Ziziphus celata (Rhamnaceae), a rare shrub endemic to the Lake Wales Ridge, Florida., Biodiversity and Conservation. 11: 2027-2046.


Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02

Outputs
The source of seeds used to establish forest tree plantations is very important. Many years of scientific study show that the seed source can strongly affect survival and subsequent growth of southern pines. Fifteen years' work with growth modeling of seed source studies showed that seed movement guidelines should be based on yearly average minimum temperature of the seed source and the planting site. This variable, which defines 'Plant Hardiness Zones', has been used for many years by horticulturists to guide the transfer of plant materials. East-west movement to areas of similar climate is permissible, with the exception of loblolly pine. It was essential that this information be disseminated to all those who plant southern pines. Previous guidelines were out of date and out of print. Schmidtling received many inquirires from state foresters about certifying seedlings from non-local sources for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Those with seedlings to sell would like to have few restrictions in distributing their seedlings; those who are certifying plantings for CRP are apparently more concerned about the long-term adapatability of seedlings from distant sources. Planting guidelines for the southern pines have been amended based on current knowledge. The complete manual is also available on the S&PF website at http://rngr.net/genetics/publications.html. Improved wood quality through tree improvement efforts has become more important in recent years. Because of significant decreases in rotation length, juvenile wood, which tends to have lower wood quality than mature wood, now accounts for a higher proportion of harvested wood than it has in the past. Traditional tree breeding programs in the southern United States have emphasized the maximization of volume production over wood properties like specific gravity and while attempts have been made to hold wood properties constant during breeding efforts, negative genetic correlations between growth and specific gravity suggest that selecting for improved growth rate may cause a decrease in wood quality over time. The implications of a decrease in wood quality have lead several organizations to express interest in developing specialty breeding programs that focus on improving wood quality. Specific gravity and microfibril angle (MFA) are two wood properties of particular interest for specialty breeding programs because both have significant influences on the quality of forest end-products. Specific gravity is highly heritable and previous studies have suggested that large genetic gains in specific gravity can be made through selection and breeding. The degree to which MFA is heritable and its genetic relationship with other economically important traits (e.g. height, diameter, specific gravity) were unknown prior to this study.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Hawkins, L.K.; Dane, F.; Kubisiak, T.L. 2001. Molecular markers associated with morphological traits in watermelon. HortScience. 36(7): 1318-1322.
  • Auckland, L.D.; Johnston, J.S.; Price, H.J.; Bridgwater, F.E. 2001. Stability of nuclear DNA content among divergent and isolated populations of Fraser fir. Canadian Journal of Botany. 79(11): 1375-1378.
  • Bridgwater, F.E. 2002. Decline in values of slash pine stands infected with fusiform rust. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry. 26(3): 134-139.
  • Schmidtling, Ron. 2001. The status of forest genetics and tree improvement in the U.S.A. In: 26th southern forest tree improvement conference; 2001 June 26-29; Athens, GA. Athens, GA: Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee. 26: 215-222.
  • Byram, T.D.; Bridgwater, F.E.; Gwaze, D.P. [and others]. 2001. Forty-ninth progress report of the cooperative forest tree improvement program. Circ. 402. College Station, TX: Texas Forest Service, Texas A&M University system. 31 p.
  • Carey, D.; Kubisiak, T.L.; Houston, D.B. [and others]. 2001. RAPD analysis of post- disturbance Fagus grandifolia populations [Abstract]. In: IUFRO meeting on molecular biology of forest trees: tree biotechnology in the next millenium; 2001 July 22-27; Stevenson, WA. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University: 29.
  • Gwaze, D.P.; Harding, K.J.; Purnell, R.C.; Bridgwater, F.E. 2002. Optimum selection age for wood density in loblolly pine. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 32(2002): 1393-1399.
  • Huang, H.; Li, Z.; Li, J. [and others]. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships in Actinidia as revealed by RAPD analysis. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 127(5): 759-766.
  • Huang, Hongwen; Layne, Desmond R.; Kubisiak, Thomas L. 2000. RAPD inheritance and diversity in pawpaw (Asimina triloba). Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 125(4): 454-459.
  • Lott, L.H.; Gwaze, D.P.; Bridgwater, F.E. 2001. Selection for height growth of longleaf pine in the presence of brown spot disease. In: 26th biennial southern forest tree improvement conference; 2001 June 26-29; Athens, GA. Athens, GA: Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee. 2nd: 125-133.
  • Lott, L.H.; Gwaze, D.P.; Bridgwater, F.E. 2002. Effects of brown spot disease on longleaf pine families grown in two geographic areas.
  • Myszewski, Jennifer H.; Fins, Lauren; Moore, James A. [and others]. 2002. Variation in the root bark phenolics/sugar ratio of Douglas-fir grown in two plantations in northern Idaho. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 32(2002): 556-560.
  • Schmidtling, R.C. 2001. Southern pine seed sources. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-44. Asheville,NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 25 p.
  • Schmidtling, R.C.; Hipkins, Valerie. 2001. Factors contributing to genetic variation in ice damage susceptibility in shortleaf pine. In: 26th southern forest tree improvement conference; 2001 June 26-29; Athens, GA. Athens, GA: Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee. 48: 60-62.
  • Schmidtling, Ron. 2001. The forest genetic resources working group of the North American forestry commission (FAO). In: 26th southern forest tree improvement conference; 2001 June 26-29; Athens, GA. Athens, GA: Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee. 26: 214.
  • Schmidtling, Ronald C. 2002. Restoration of natural forest ecosystems: the genetic resource. In: Gardiner, Emile S.; Breland, Lynne J., comps. Proceedings of the IUFRO conference on restoration of boreal and temperate forests: documenting forest restoration knowledge and practices in boreal and temperate ecosystems; 2002 April 29-May 2; Vejle, Denmark. Frederiksberg C, Denmark: Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape and Planning: 74-75.
  • Schmidtling, Ronald C. 2002. The forest genetic resources working group of the North American forestry commission (FAO). In: Gardiner, Emile S.; Breland, Lynne J., comps. Proceedings of the IUFRO conference on restoration of boreal and temperate forests: documenting forest restoration knowledge and practices in boreal and temperate ecosystems; 2002 April 29-May 2; Vejle, Denmark. Frederiksberg C, Denmark: Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape and Planning. 11: 74-75.
  • Selgrade, James F.; Roberds, James H. 2001. On the structure of attractors for discrete, periodically forced systems with applications to population models. Physica D. 158(2001): 69-82.
  • Stine, Michael; Roberds, J.H.; Nelson, C. Dana [and others]. 2001. Quantitative trait inheritance in a forty-year-old longleaf pine partial diallel test. In: 26th southern forest tree improvement conference; 2001 June 26-29; Athens, GA. Athens, GA: Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee; 26: 101-103.
  • Strom, B.L.; Goyer, R.A.; Ingram, L.L., Jr. [and others]. 2002. Oleoresin characteristics of progeny of loblolly pines that escaped attack by the southern pine beetle. Forest Ecology and Management. 158(2002): 169-178.
  • Troggio, M.; Kubisiak, T.L.; Bucci, G.; Menozzi, P. 2001. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA linkage relationships in different Norway spruce populations. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 31(2001): 1456-1461.
  • Weng, C.; Kubisiak, T.L.; Nelson, C.D.; Stine, M. 2002. Mapping quantitative trait loci controlling early growth in a (longleaf pine X Slash pine) X slash pine BC1 family. Theoretical Applied Genetics. 104: 852-859.
  • Gwaze, D.P.; Wolliams, J.A.; Kanowski, P.J.; Bridgwater, F.E. 2002. Interactions of genotype with site for height and stem straightness in Pinus taeda in Zimbabwe. Silvae Genetica. 50(3/4): 135-140.