Tree Breeding

Book excerpt: This book presents a dynamical approach for planning tree breeding programs. Utilizing various gene actions and methods of selection and mating, the book describes how breeding populations can evolve improved responses to present and future demands. However, it describes more than techniques. It also introduces a dynamical concept of tree breeding, provides more mathematical and statistical underpinning, and gives rationale for deciding among an array of programs. Furthermore, a broad array of plans from simple, iterated breeding plans, to systems of multiple populations capable of adjusting gene actions for different traits in different environments and uncertain futures are included. It also describes the kinds of information needed as the complexity of program design increases and how to design experiments to obtain that information. The book supplies the basic concepts needed to develop a dynamical program, and to enable tree breeders to decide what level of program is needed and how to get there.