Program objectives. What is a genotype? Tree Improvement. Species selection 1/17/2014

Transcription

1 Program objectives Building a Better Christmas Tree: Abies Tree Improvement Research Bert Cregg, Ph.D. Michigan State University Department of Horticulture Department of Forestry Understand basic concepts and terms associated with tree improvement Discuss recent and current efforts in Abies tree improvement research An eye to the future Tree Improvement Three principle components: Development or identification of new genotypes (breeding or exploration) Selection of superior genotypes (testing) Capturing genetic gains in a production system What is a genotype? Species Variety Provenance (seed source) Open-pollinated family Full-sib family Clone Species selection Often the most basic level of genetic selection and improvement Could undervalue a species if a poor seed source was chosen 1

2 MSU Exotic fir trial Experimental Design Location of four Abies trials in Michigan. Plant material came from the Kellogg Research Forests, Augusta, MI 1) Kellogg Research Forest (KRF) 2) Clarksville Horticulture Experiment Station (CHES) Initial plantings in Fall of 2002 and additional plantings in the Fall of ) Horticulture Teaching and Research Center (HTRC) Plantings at 3 different locations Michigan ) Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station (NWHRS) 1 North American Firs Asian Firs Balsam fir Abies balsamea Fraser fir Abies fraseri Momi fir Abies firma Sub-Alpine fir Abies lasiocarpa Nikko fir Abies homolepis Noble fir Abies procera Korean fir Abies koreana Canaan fir Abies balsamea var phanerolepis Sakhalin fir Abies sachalinensis Corkbark fir Abies bifolia Veitch fir Abies veitchii Red fir Abies magnifica Siberian White fir Abies nephrolepis Needle fir Abies holophylla Ernst fir Abies chensiensi Mayr Sakhalin fir Abies sachalinensis var mayriana Siberian Silver fir Abies siberica var argenta Source: Liu, Source: Liu, Mediterranean Firs Hybrid Firs Source: Liu, King Boris fir Abies borisii-regis Nordman fir Abies nordmanniana Greek fir Abies cephalonica Turkish fir Abies bornmuelleriana Korean x Veitch fir Abies koreana x veitchii Korean x Balsam fir Abies koreana x balsamea Fraser x Nikko fir Abies fraseri x homolepis 2

3 Late Frost Budbreak Budbreak Damage Budbreak surveyed weekly at each location Budbreak considered to have occurred once bud scale has been broken on 1 bud. Frost damage surveyed at Kellogg using a 0-4 rating system: 0= no damage, 1=0-25%, 2= 25-50%, 3= 5075%, 4=75-100% of the buds were injured. Budbreak Mean date of budbreak of 17 Abies species in spring 2004 grown at four locations in Michigan Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different from each other. α=.05, Tukey. indicates no records available. Budbreak Spp HTRC CHES KRF NWHRS Spp HTRC CHES KRF NWHRS NEE April 22 a April 24 ab May 7 ab NEE April 22 a April 24 ab May 7 ab SUB May 2 bc May 7 ab SUB May 2 bc May 7 ab COR April 24 a May 5 a COR April 24 a May 5 a SIBW April 25 a April 21 a May 5 a SIBW April 25 a April 21 a May 5 a BAL May 3 b May 8 cde May 11 abc BAL May 3 b May 8 cde May 11 abc KxV May 4 b May 4 c April 27 ab May 18 bcde KxV May 4 b May 4 c April 27 ab May 18 bcde CAN May 4 b May 9 cdef May 16 abcd CAN May 4 b May 9 cdef May 16 abcd NOR May 6 bc May 13 cdefg NOR May 6 bc May 13 cdefg FxN May 8 bcd May 14 defg May 6 bcd May 26 defg FxN May 8 bcd May 14 defg May 6 bcd May 26 defg NOB May 13 cdef May 13 defg May 8 cd May 14 abc NOB May 13 cdef May 13 defg May 8 cd May 14 abc ERN May 13 de May 15 defg May 4 bc May 14 abc ERN May 13 de May 15 defg May 4 bc May 14 abc TUR May 14 def May 15 defg May 6 bcd May 28 efgh TUR May 14 def May 15 defg May 6 bcd May 28 efgh FRA May 17 ef May 14 fg May 30 fgh FRA May 17 ef May 14 fg May 30 fgh NIK May 19 fg May 17 efg May 13 cd May 21 cdef NIK May 19 fg May 17 efg May 13 cd May 21 cdef KOR May 23 gh May 21 g May 3 abc May 28 efgh KOR May 23 gh May 21 g May 3 abc May 28 efgh VEI May 23 gh May 21 g May 15 d June 7 h VEI May 23 gh May 21 g May 15 d June 7 h KxB May 27 h May 7 cd May 4 bc June 6 gh KxB May 27 h May 7 cd May 4 bc June 6 gh Mean date of budbreak of 17 Abies species in spring 2004 grown at four locations in Michigan Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different from each other. α=.05, Tukey. indicates no records available. Late Frost Damage Cold Hardiness Frost Damage at Kellogg Spring 2004 Percent of Trees Damaged 80 Experiment Two 0-25% Bud Damage 25-50% Bud Damage Goal: To understand relationships between maximum mid-winter cold hardiness and date of budbreak E W NE SIB CO R B SU V Kx L BA N CA NO R R KO B Kx N ER N Fx TU R NO B NIK I VE Species 3

4 Cold Hardiness Cold Hardiness - Fv/Fm Bud damage = 1 at -39 C Bud damage = 0 at 2 C Bud damage = 2 at -78 C Spp CAN SIBW VEI ERN Fv/Fm December* January* a a a a a a b b March ns ns ns ns Average Fv/Fm readings of four Abies species following controlled freeze tests to -44 C. Cold Hardiness vs. Budbreak Average Fv/Fm at -44 C Deer damage to Turkish, Ernst, Nordmann, and Fraser fir at Kellogg Biotic Factors SIBW CAN ERN VEI R2 = 0.38 p = April 22 May 5 May 12 May 21 Mean Date of Budbreak Comparison of average Fv/Fm at -44 C and mean days to budbreak in 2004 of four Abies species at HTRC in December 2004 and January and March Hybrids Introgression: Example Grandicolor fir Many firs can form inter-specific hybrids (crosses between two species) Interspecific hybrids may occur: Naturally (Introgression) Spontaneously Deliberately (Controlled crosses) Abies grandis A. concolor var. lowiana A. concolor var. concolor 4

5 Spontaneous hybrid: Example: Craser fir Interspecific hybrids from controlled crosses Interspecific hybrids from controlled crosses Abies lasiocarpa koreana Hybrids can produce several outcomes Variety Botanic classification below species Varieties differ in appearance or mophology but still meet criteria of species; i.e., can hybridize and form fertile progeny 5

6 Douglas-fir Pseudotusga menziesii Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca Provenance Refers to geographic seed source Provenances within a species can vary widely in many traits including: Rhabdocline needlecast in Douglas-fir Growth rate Phenology Cold hardiness Pest resistance Needle color Needle retention Provenance testing A major component of classical tree improvement programs Goals are to determine extent of withinspecies variation and identify superior seed collection areas 6

7 SanJuan RioGrande Lincoln Apache Progeny testing Evaluation of maternal and paternal parents based on performance of their offspring Best parents are retained for seed orchards Photo courtesy Dr. Rick Bates, Penn State Progeny (family) selection Recurrent selection Open pollenated (Half-sib) family all progeny have same maternal parent Full-sib family all progeny have same maternal and paternal parents Geneticists can estimate heritability of traits and genetic gains Genetic Variation in Fraser Fir Christmas Trees in North Carolina John Frampton 7

8 2000 Fraser Fir Progeny Test Series 200 seedlots were tested 8 locations Over 28,000 trees total Selections made in 2005 & 2007 NCPFFS Coop will use selections to expand seed orchard Dots indicate trees sampled in the Fraser Fir Range-wide Cone Collection The 2000 Fraser Fir Progeny Test Series The Fraser Fir Progeny Test Series Seed Sources Number of Families Balsam M ountains Grandfather M ountain Great Smoky M ountains M ount M itchell M ount Rogers Roan M ountain Checklots Total (8 Sites) Overall 194 Group A (4 Sites) Group B (4 Sites) Schedule of Activities Activity Range of Geographic Sources: Group B: $14.56 $16.06 ($1.50) Range in Family Means Group B: $12.00 $18.57 ($6.57) Best Family Worst Family 14 Wholesale Value ($) Wholesale Value ($) 98 Grow Seedlings as Greenhouse Plugs Grow Seedlings as Nursery Transplants Pre-Plant Measurements Establish Field Trials Culture as Christmas Trees Annual Measurements Graft Elite Yr 5 Selections Graft Elite Yr 7 Selections Establish New Seed Orchard(s) Establish Breeding Orchard Balsam Mountains Mount Rogers Average Best Family Worst Family Mount Mitchell Great Smoky Mountains Roan Grandfather Mountain Mountain 0 Balsam Mountains Mount Rogers Average Best Family Worst Family Mount Mitchell Great Smoky Mountains Roan Grandfather Mountain Mountain 8

9 Capturing genetic gains Clonal propagation Once we have identified superior genotypes, how do we produce sufficient numbers to plant? Rooted cuttings Grafting Survival of Fraser fir and Momi fir seedlings and grafts Adapted from Hinesley and Frampton

10 Plagiotropic growth is a common problem in grafted conifers Source identified seed Rasmussen et al Seed orchards An eye to the future Improved seed = improved uniformity Species evaluation Interspecific hybrids Marker-aided selection 10

11 The Collaborative Fir Germplasm Evaluation (CoFirGE) Project Collaborative Fir Germplasm Evaluation Project CoFirGE Project GOAL: To cooperate in obtaining seeds and evaluating seedlings of fir species for use as Christmas trees across production regions of the United States and Denmark. Initial Effort Evaluate seedlings from 20 trees from each of three provenances of Turkish fir and two provenances of Trojan fir Interest in Turkish Abies Species Connecticut Christmas Tree Association Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Richard Cowles John Ahrens Danish Christmas Tree Growers Association University of Copenhagen Ulrik Nielsen Michigan Christmas Tree Association Michigan State University Jill O'Donnell Bert Cregg Pascal Nzokou North Carolina Christmas Tree Association North Carolina State University John Frampton Fikret Isik Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association Oregon State University Chal Landgren Gary Chastagner Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association Pennsylvania State University Rick Bates Interest in Turkish Abies Species Concerns Slow initial growth Disease resistance Resistance / tolerance to other pests Phytophthora root rot Spider mites Annosus root Balsam woolly rot adelgid Current Others? Season Needle Stress tolerance Necrosis Drought Others? Questions about regional adaptability Limited genetic information on seed sources Postharvest needle retention Availability of proven high quality seed Lack of evergreen smell Susceptibility to deer damage Abies Species native to Turkey Turkish Fir Abies bornmuelleriana Trojan Fir Abies equi-trojani Nordmann Fir Abies nordmanniana Cilician or Toros Fir Abies cilicica 11

12 Field Trial Design , ,900 Regions Tests/Region Blocks/Test/Region Provenances Families/Provenance Trees/Family/Provenance/Block/Test/Region Total Turkish & Trojan Fir Trees Checklots: Fraser, Noble & Nordmann Fir Seedlings/Checklot (30 Seedlings/Test) Total Checklot Trees Total Study Trees Each test site will contain 3,690 study trees and occupy about 1.8 acres at a 5 x 5 spacing. 12

13 Planting day MSU Tree Research Center USDA SCRI Project Genetic marker systems to select traits of importance to the Christmas tree industry A catalog of fir genotypes Expanded use of genetically improved planting stock USDA SCRI Project Increase understanding of consumer preferences relating to Christmas trees Increase grower knowledge about consumer preferences and how to use improved genetic material and cultural practices to better meet their needs 13

14 Thanks for your attention! 14