Integrating genomic information and productivity and climate-adaptability traits into a regional white spruce breeding program

Tree improvement programs often focus on improving productivity-related traits; however, under present climate change scenarios, climate change-related (adaptive) traits should also be incorporated into such programs. Therefore, quantifying the genetic variation and correlations among productivity and adaptability traits, and the importance of genotype by environment interactions, including defense compounds involved in biotic and abiotic resistance, is essential for selecting parents for the production of resilient and sustainable forests. Here, we estimated quantitative genetic parameters for 15 growth, wood quality, drought resilience, and monoterpene traits for Picea glauca (Moench) Voss (white spruce). We sampled 1,540 trees from three open-pollinated progeny trials, genotyped with 467,224 SNP markers using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). We used the pedigree and SNP information to calculate, respectively, the average numerator and genomic relationship matrices, and univariate and multivariate individual-tree models to obtain estimates of (co)variance components. With few site-specific exceptions, all traits examined were under genetic control. Overall, higher heritability estimates were derived from the genomic- than their counterpart pedigree-based relationship matrix. Selection for height, generally, improved diameter and water use efficiency, but decreased wood density, microfibril angle, and drought resistance. Genome-based correlations between traits reaffirmed the pedigree-based correlations for most trait pairs. High and positive genetic correlations between sites were observed (average 0.68), except for those pairs involving the highest elevation, warmer, and moister site, specifically for growth and microfibril angle. These results illustrate the advantage of using genomic information jointly with productivity and adaptability traits, and defense compounds to enhance tree breeding selection for changing climate.Instituto de Recursos BiológicosFil: Cappa, Eduardo Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Recursos Biológicos; ArgentinaFil: Cappa, Eduardo Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Klutsch, Jenifer G. University of Alberta; Department of Renewable Resources; CanadaFil: Sebastian-Azcona, Jaime. University of Alberta; Department of Renewable Resources; CanadaFil: Ratchiffe, Blaise. University of British Columbia. Faculty of Forestry. Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences; CanadáFil: Xiaojing, Wei. University of Alberta; Department of Renewable Resources; CanadaFil: Da Ros, Letitia. University of British Columbia. Faculty of Forestry. Department of Wood Science; CanadáFil: Yang, Liu. University of British Columbia. Faculty of Forestry. Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences; CanadáFil: Chen, Charles. Oklahoma State University. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Estados UnidosFil: Benowicz, Andy. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. Forest Stewardship and Trade Branch; CanadáFil: Sadoway, Shane. Blue Ridge Lumber Inc.; CanadáFil: Mansfield, Shawn D. University of British Columbia. Faculty of Forestry. Department of Wood Science; CanadáFil: Erbilgin, Nadir. University of Alberta; Department of Renewable Resources; CanadaFil: Thomas, Barb R. University of Alberta; Department of Renewable Resources; CanadaFil: El-Kassaby, Yousry A. University of British Columbia. Faculty of Forestry. Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences; Canad

Intraspecific Variation in Pinus Pinaster PSII Photochemical Efficiency in Response to Winter Stress and Freezing Temperatures

As part of a program to select maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) genotypes for resistance to low winter temperatures, we examined variation in photosystem II activity by chlorophyll fluorescence. Populations and families within populations from contrasting climates were tested during two consecutive winters through two progeny trials, one located at a continental and xeric site and one at a mesic site with Atlantic influence. We also obtained the LT50, or the temperature that causes 50% damage, by controlled freezing and the subsequent analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence in needles and stems that were collected from populations at the continental trial site

Genetic differences in physiological and morphological characteristics of Sitka alder populations in British Columbia

Patterns of genetic variations in adaptive and quantitative attributes of Sitka alder, Alnus sinuata Rydb., were examined at the population level. The following traits were studied: germination, frost hardiness, bud break, characteristics related to gas exchange (photosynthesis, dark respiration, stomatal conductance, transpiration, carboxylation efficiency, stomatal sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit and intrinsic water use efficiency) and characteristics related to biomass allocation (height, stem diameter, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, height growth rate and number and size of major stems per plant). The number of examined populations was 29, all but one from British Columbia. There were large genetic differences among the populations in all measured traits except for spring frost hardiness and stomatal sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit. Population genetic structure (variance within and between populations) was investigated: inter-population variations accounted for 13-31% and 26-61%) for gas exchange and biomass related variables, respectively. The populations differed significantly in fall and winter cold resistance, though the differences were less pronounced in maximum hardiness than were found for the timing of frost hardiness development. On 11 November, 1996 65% of the total variation in frost injury index was explained by the differences between the populations, while on 15 December, 1996 33%) of the total variance was due to the population effect. The observed patterns of large genetic variations in Sitka alder populations represent a challenge for gene conservation efforts in high elevation ecosystems. Based on univariate (multiple linear regression) and mulitvariate methods (canonical correlations and cluster analysis), geographic patterns of variation were found for most traits. Variations related to geography were particularly strong in fall frost hardiness (R2 = 0.62), shoot dry weight (R = 0.64), growth rate in July (R = 0.70), ratio of root dry weight to total dry weight (R2 = 0.67) and net photosynthetic rate (R2 = 0.52). Most of the variation was due to latitude and distance from the coast. Seedlings generated from northern seed sources were in general more frost hardy, smaller and allocated more carbon to roots compared to shoots. Plants from the interior wet belt were frost hardy to the same levels as coastal seedlings suggesting that snow cover plays a role in Sitka alder adaptation to low temperatures. Rate of photosynthesis (A) increased largely with the distance from the coast and, to a lesser degree, with elevation and latitude implying that an inverse relationship exists between A and the length of the growing season. Interior populations had higher A due to higher carboxylation efficiency and stomatal conductance (gs). As a result of higher gs, plants from more xeric interior regions tend to have lower water use efficiency. Productivity was negatively correlated with A and positively with water use efficiency. Speed of germination did not affect the plant size after one growing season and was independent from the germination completeness. Strong positive correlation was found between timing of frost hardiness development and spring bud break.Forestry, Faculty ofGraduat

Growth and survival of Siberian larch in Alberta at the species, population and family level

Survival and growth of Siberian larch (SL, Larix sibirica Ledeb.) were compared to three conifer species native to Alberta, Canada: lodgepole pine (LP; Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm.), white spruce (WS, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and jack pine (JP, Pinus banksiana, Lamb.) at 12, 10 and three trial locations, respectively. The average data age was 18 years (range: three to 27). Survival of SL averaged 4.2% and 6.5% worse than LP and WS, respectively, while it was 5% better than JP. SL grew 25%, 94% and 23% taller than LP, WS and JP, respectively. Stem forking rates were similar between LS and LP, WS and JP. The best seed sources for Alberta were mature trees established in Alberta and Saskatchewan but whose initial provenances are unknown. The Russian Altai Mountain source grew well at high elevations while the Finnish Raivola performed well in the northern, low elevation area. Open-pollinated progeny tests of 58 families planted in five diverse locations yielded individual tree narrow-sense heritabilities and family mean heritabilities for height at age 15 of 0.15 and 0.59, respectively. The type B between-site genetic correlation was 0.44 indicating a strong genotype Ă environment interaction. SL has performed well in Alberta and its growth can be further improved by selection and breeding from appropriate seed sources.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author