Management Options for Control of Wood Quality Update on breeding of radiata pine for quality John A Butcher Radiata Pine Breeding Company Improvement through Genetics Tree breeding has delivered considerable improvements to radiata pine since the late 1950s Dramatic and highly visible impacts in the early days as Growth and Form was continuously improved, stem acceptability almost doubled, and productivity increased, with the increased financial values being readily captured by growers Now a good argument for the focus to be on Wood Quality where equally significant gains can be made delivering higher market values for wood products, but the increased financial values cannot be captured by the growers 1
Improvements in Volume Production and Stem Acceptability Breed/Seedlot Class % Volume Gain % Acceptable Stems Average GF Rating Unimproved 0 45 1 Climbing Select 5-10 50 7 850 orchard 13-18 65 14 268 orchard 15-20 70 16 Top 16268 19-23 70 19 Controlpollinated 268 27-32 80 23 Increased genetic gain in predictive models 300 Index 35 30 25 On average, an increase in GFPlus growth rating of 1 unit corresponds to a 1% increase in stem volume growth 300 Index = 22 + 0.26 GFPlus 20 5 10 15 20 25 30 GFPlus Growth rating 550 Density Index = 398 + 1.85 GFPlus On average, an increase in GFPlus density rating of 1 unit corresponds to an increase of 1.85 kg/m 3 in wood density Density Index (kg/m 3 ) 500 450 400 350-20 0 20 40 60 GF Plus rating 2
Long term Gain Trials Yield gain achieved in a sawlog regime. Genetic Gain Trial kaingaroa 1210 100000 1300 Total value $/hectare 95000 90000 85000 80000 75000 70000 65000 y = 11.21x + 743.94 R 2 = 0.8491 y = 1204.3x + 70705 R 2 = 0.8914 Total Value 1200 1100 1000 900 800 700 600 Total Recoverable Volume M3 60000 55000 Total Recoverable Volume 500 400 50000 300 0 5 10 15 20 25 GF Rating Breeding for Quality in Perspective Breeding helps shape the forests of the future and thus helps to deliver a long-term solution to quality problems. For the forests in the ground, forest management and silviculture can be used to influence wood quality. At harvesting and in processing segregation techniques can select logs and timber of required qualities. In processing and manufacturing wood qualities may be upgraded. Thus, there are several points of intervention along the value chain where wood properties can be modified or upgraded. We must ensure that the various interventions along the value chain are aligned and all contribute to better market uptake and greater profitability. 3
Major commercial targets of RPBC Increased gain in volume, density, and stiffness Speed the breeding and deployment cycle to get genetically improved planting stock into commercial forests faster Better deployment through genotype to site matching Inclusion of genetic improvement in forest valuations Improved resistance against foliar diseases All targeted at delivering more financial values to shareholders Research Strategy Minimisation of losses Faster deployment to commercial forests Better measurement prediction, and capture of gain Greater market values for improved log and wood properties Breeding Deployment Growing Market Faster breeding & more genetic gain Deployment of best germplasm on best sites to optimise gains Incorporation of genetic gain in forest valuations 4
Potential impact of the Genomics Programme Top grafting Slash Pine in Florida Matias Kirst SE & rooted cuttings Genomics What it all means to optimising returns from tree breeding Base Case: Genetic Gains achieved 33 years to first deployment of new germplasm 10% volume increase 10 kg/m³ density increase Corewood stiffness > 7GPa 26 years to first harvest of new germplasm 2010 2030 2050 2070 $168 million additional gross revenue (mill door/wharf gate) Each year for 20 years from 2069 PV of Benefit = $ 19 million 5
What it all means to optimising returns from tree breeding Genetic Gains achieved Breeding/Deployment cycle reduced by 17 years 15 years to first deployment of new germplasm 26 years to first harvest of new germplasm 2010 2030 2050 2070 $168 million additional gross revenue (mill door/wharf gate) Each year for 20 years from 2051 PV of Benefit = $ 76 million What it all means to optimising returns from tree breeding Develops the attractive proposition of Reducing the Breeding and Deployment cycle by half and Doubling Genetic Gain per unit time 6
Potential impact of the Genomics Programme Top grafting Slash Pine in Florida Matias Kirst SE & rooted cuttings Genomics What are the priority traits for breeding? Priorities differ between growers Priorities differ between growers and processors Priorities differ for delivery of best financial return Competition between various traits of interest, and wood quality not always at the top!! A different question to what are the priorities for breeding? Speed the process Reduce variability within and between tree variability Resilient trees 7
Forest Growers priorities for breeding Weighted average economic importance of traits for RPBC companies The 3 most important traits for breeding Volume Density Stiffness Branching Form 12 12 9 0 0 Straightness Stability Clearwood Uniformity Early transition 0 1 0 0 2 RPBC 2006 8
Relative Importance of Traits Relative importance Volume 2 Density 1 Stiffness 1 RPBC 2012 Current Breeding Priorities of RPBC Trait Wood Volume Gain Improvement Target by 2025 10% in DBH Higher Wood Density 10 kg/m³ in outerwood density Higher corewood stiffness 70% + of parents with corewood stiffness >8GPa 9
Other quality traits of interest Spiral Grain Previously a GFPlus trait but abandoned because of poor predictability of spiral grain in mature trees Stability Currently no practical methodology for measuring and predicting stability although UoC method for longitudinal shrinkage looks promising Internal Checking and Resin Bleed Culling traits avoid for breeding Other traits of importance Resistance to pathogens Existing pathogens causing quantifiable financial loss such as Dothistroma, Cyclaneusma and RNC Potential new pathogens and breeding for cross resistance Healthy forests a major goal of asset managers & forest managers Tolerance of abiotic factors Drought resistance, tolerance of low soil nutrient status New resilient genotypes in readiness for climate change 10
Understanding the realities and tradeoffs in tree breeding Most wood quality traits are negatively correlated with wood volume, meaning that breeding for density and stiffness is likely to reduce volume production. Loss of volume will reduce financial returns to the grower that will not be compensated by gains in wood quality Essentially a market failure for wood quality and one that is exacerbated by loss of the integrated company that could take a whole of value chain view. Investment and Benefit Point of investment by Forest Grower Point of financial return to Forest Grower Point return to processor and manufacturer Volume Form Health Wood Quality breeding growing harvesting processing/manufacturing market YEAR 0 Growers Processors and Manufacturers YEAR 50 Forest Owners TIMOs Many and various Integrated Companies 11
How to regain focus on wood quality Understand the realities of the market Recognise the strong competition for breeding priorities Develop a persuasive value proposition for growers to make this investment Think financial return, not technical improvement Take a whole of value chain approach and get the processors and manufacturers involved to understand where investment and return fall Examine ways to recognise quality improvement in log prices to create a financial incentive for further development 12