This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Genetics and Genomics of Forest Trees" that was published in Forests

Forest tree improvement has mainly been implemented to enhance the productivity of artificial forests. However, given the drastically changing global environment, improvement of various traits related to environmental adaptability is more essential than ever. This book focuses on genetic information, including trait heritability and the physiological mechanisms thereof, which facilitate tree improvement. Nineteen papers are included, reporting genetic approaches to improving various species, including conifers, broad-leaf trees, and bamboo. All of the papers in this book provide cutting-edge genetic information on tree genetics and suggest research directions for future tree improvement.

Forest tree genetics and genomics are advancing at an accelerated rate, thanks to recent developments in high-throughput, next-generation sequencing capabilities, and novel biostatistical tools. Population and landscape genetics and genomics have seen the rise of new approaches implemented in large-scale studies that employ the use of genome-wide sampling. Such studies have started to discern the dynamics of neutral and adaptive variation in nature and the processes that underlie spatially explicit patterns of genetic and genomic variation in nature. The continuous development of genetic maps in forest trees and the expansion of QTL and association mapping approaches contribute to the unravelling of the genotype-phenotype relationship and lead to marker-assisted and genome-wide selection. However, major challenges lie ahead. Recent literature suggests that species demography and genetic diversity have been affected both by climatic oscillations and anthropogenically induced stresses in a way calls into question the possibility of future adaptation. Moreover, the pace of contemporary environmental change presents a great challenge to forest tree populations and their ability to adapt, taking into consideration their life history characteristics. Several questions emerge that include, but are not limited to, the interpretation of forest tree genome surveillance and their structural/functional properties, the adaptive and neutral processes that have shaped forest tree genomes, the analysis of phenotypic traits relevant to adaptation (especially adaptation under contemporary climate change), the link between epigenetics/epigenomics and phenotype/genotype, and the use of genetics/genomics as well as genetic monitoring to advance conservation priorities.

This Research Topic addresses research in genomics and biotechnology to improve the growth and quality of forest trees for wood, pulp, biorefineries and carbon capture. Forests are the world’s greatest repository of terrestrial biomass and biodiversity. Forests serve critical ecological services, supporting the preservation of fauna and flora, and water resources. Planted forests also offer a renewable source of timber, for pulp and paper production, and the biorefinery. Despite their fundamental role for society, thousands of hectares of forests are lost annually due to deforestation, pests, pathogens and urban development. As a consequence, there is an increasing need to develop trees that are more productive under lower inputs, while understanding how they adapt to the environment and respond to biotic and abiotic stress. Forest genomics and biotechnology, disciplines that study the genetic composition of trees and the methods required to modify them, began over a quarter of a century ago with the development of the first genetic maps and establishment of early methods of genetic transformation. Since then, genomics and biotechnology have impacted all research areas of forestry. Genome analyses of tree populations have uncovered genes involved in adaptation and response to biotic and abiotic stress. Genes that regulate growth and development have been identified, and in many cases their mechanisms of action have been described. Genetic transformation is now widely used to understand the roles of genes and to develop germplasm that is more suitable for commercial tree plantations. However, in contrast to many annual crops that have benefited from centuries of domestication and extensive genomic and biotechnology research, in forestry the field is still in its infancy. Thus, tremendous opportunities remain unexplored. This Research Topic aims to briefly summarize recent findings, to discuss long-term goals and to think ahead about future developments and how this can be applied to improve growth and quality of forest trees.

Forest tree functional genomics; Functional genomics in forest trees; Expressed sequence tag databases from forestry tree species; Proteomics for genetic and physiological studies in forest trees: application in maritime pine; Exploring the transcriptome of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis; Molecular biology of wood formation; Genomics of wood formation; Molecular genetics of cellulose biosynthesis in trees; Tuning lignin metabolism through genetic engineering in trees; In vitro systems for the study of wood formation; Forest tree transgenesis; Genetic modification in conifer forestry: state of the art and future potential - a case study; Transgenic forest trees for insect resistance; Modification of flowering in forest trees; Stability of transgene expression in Aspen; Asexual production of marker-free transgenetic Aspen using MAT vector systems; Genome mapping in forest trees; High-density linkage maps in conifer species and their potential application; Microsatellites in forest tree species: characteristics, identifcation , and applicatons; Genome mapping in populus; Genetic mapping in Acacias.

This book provides a solid scientific basis for researchers, practitioners and students interested in the application of genetic principles to tropical forest ecology and management. It presents a concise overview of genetic variation, evolutionary processes and the human impact on forest genetic resources in the tropics. In addition, modern tools to assess genetic diversity patterns and the dynamics of genetic structures are introduced to the non-specialist reader.

Scientists and researchers from top labs around the world share their expertise! This unique text integrates tree transgenesis, functional genomics, and structural genomics to present, for the first time, a unified approach to research on the molecular biology of forest trees. A distinguished panel of scientists, researchers, and educators from around the world have combined their efforts to present the most up-to-date information and make Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Forest Trees an important addition to your professional or teaching collection. Helpful tables and figures make important points easy to access and understand. To make it easier to find the specific information you’re looking for, Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Forest Trees is divided into four sections: Forest Tree Functional Genomics, Molecular Biology of Wood Formation, Forest Tree Transgenesis, and Genome Mapping in Forest Trees. Within these sections, you’ll find the most up-to-date information on: functional genomics EST databases proteomics in forest trees genomics of wood formation and in vitro systems for the study of wood formation genetic transformation of forest trees stable expression of foreign genes modification of flowering in forest trees genome mapping in forest trees microsatellite DNA markers in forest trees exploring the transcriptome of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis in trees