change language:

2.02.15 - Breeding and genetic resources of five-needle pines

UNIT NOTICEBOARD

2022-04-05

7th IUFRO International Workshop on the Genetics of Tree-Parasite Interactions in Forestry Understanding forest tree-antagonistic interactions in a changing world

Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain; NEW DATE: 12-17 September 2022!
Units involved: 7.03.11, 2.02.15, 2.02.20, 7.02.05, 7.02.09, IUFRO Task Force on Forests and Biological Invasions.

Managed and natural forests provide essential ecosystem services worldwide. Due to the free of movement ofpeople and goods across biogeographical zones,tree species are increasingly challenged by emergent invasive biotic threats.We can see large range expansions of pests and diseases, as well assudden shiftsto naïve hostspecies. Moreover, climate change is also increasingabiotic tree stresses, whichsynergistically interact with tree resistanceleading to negative effects on tree survival and forest resilience. Althoughforest tree species are known to harbour high levels ofgenetic variation, most remain fairly unstudied, particularly in traits related tohost tolerance and resistancetobiotic and abiotic stressors.To understand such variations, within the framework of the genetics of tree-antagonist interactions, is necessary to forecast the survival and prevalence of forest populations in a changing environment. This knowledge can also be exploited in breeding programs aiming to improve forest health. The scientific community ispushingfor an urgent multidisciplinary and coordinatedeffort to solvethese challenges,making use of current and newknowledge, strategies and technologies. Geneticists, evolutionary biologists, ecologists, phytopathologists, entomologists, plant physiologists, breeders and managers are all involved in this challenge. This workshop will provide the idealforum for updating knowledge, evidences, solutions and failuresbetween scientific, academicand practicalapproaches. It is also an opportunity toenhancethe dialogueof long experienced expertise with the newgenerations of scientists, which will provide creative and newsolutions in the near future.

Details: https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/science/divisions/div2/20215/pontevedra20-2nd-announcement.pdf

View all entries

Coordinator:

Richard A. Sniezko, United States

Deputies:

Eun Ju Cheong, Korea (Rep)

Anna W. Schoettle, United States

Christian Anton Wehenkel, Mexico

Xiao-Xin Wei, China

About Unit

The Working Party on Breeding and Genetic Resources of Five-Needle Pines is concerned with research cooperation and exchange of information on all aspects of genetic research on the five-needle pines. This includes provenance testing and genetic resources, breeding, species hybridization, clonal propagation and testing, tissue or cell culture, cell and molecular genetics, and the genetics of host-pathogen interactions. Increasingly though we are using this knowledge to address issues related to climate change, land pressure and conservation.


State of Knowledge

The Unit has been particularly active over the past decade with four very informative meetings: Medford, Oregon USA (2001); Valiug, Romania (2006); Yangyang, Korea (2008); and Fort Collins, Colorado USA (2014). The Proceedings of these meetings can be found in the publications page of this Working Party.

Although traditionally the Unit has focused on provenance testing, selection and breeding, especially against important pests and pathogens, particularly white pine blister rust. An increasing emphasis is now on gene conservation and the impact of climate change. We have gained a great deal of knowledge and have had some moderate successes with blister rust to our productive species (see Forest Pathology Special Issue: White Pines, Ribes, and Blister Rust, August 2010, Volume 40, Issue 3-4). But it is now apparent that land use pressures, climate change along with diseases such as blister rust require us to focus more on gene conservation efforts and develop a holistic view looking at genetics, ecology in the framework of conservation.