Novel tree breeding strategies (NOVELTREE)

Description:

NOVELTREE provides an improved understanding of the biology of forest tree species and enable significant genetic improvement in the composition and characteristics of forest products in order to satisfy the needs (e.g. quality, quantity, sustainability, vulnerability) of consumers and of the forest-based sector. The recent advances in the genomics of forest trees, the increasing knowledge of functional polymorphisms and the new understanding of the nature and origins of genetic variation should allow for more efficient management of breeding stock in order to exploit available genetic diversity and preserve it in the long term. To achieve these goals, NOVELTREE integrates an ambitious combination of approaches, including quantitative genetics & breeding, population genetics, genomics, pathology, tree physiology, forestry and economics. The research of NOVELTREE focused on model tree species of high economic importance which are representative of the four main European regions:

• Maritime pine - Atlantic and Mediterranean Areas;
• Scots pine - Northern and Central Europe;
• Spruce - Scandinavia and UK;
• Poplar - Western Europe.

Following a systems biology approach and using cutting-edge genomics technologies, NovelTree contributed to:

• deepen our understanding of the nature and origin of genetic variation,
• enable genetic improvement in the composition and characteristics of forest products,
• lead to more efficient management of breeding stocks designed to exploit genetic variation whilst maintaining diversity in the long term,
• help tree breeders to meet the demands of forest managers and consumers of wood in both the solid and energy markets,
• serve as a unified platform for exchange of ideas and knowledge with major counterparts across the world.

Project information

Lead

Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (France)

Partners

Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (FR), Stiftelsen Skogsbrukets Forskningsinstitut (SE), Metsantutkimuslaitos (FI), Uppsala University (SE), Forest Research (UK), University of Oulu (FI), Università di Udine (IT), Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (ES), University of Edinburgh (UK), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT), Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (BE), University of Tuscia (IT), INRA Transfert (FR), Universiteit Gent (BE), Vlaams Gewest (BE)

Source of funding

FP 7