Douglas-fir breeding in France

TREEBREEDEX workshopHann. Münden

march 26/27. 2009J.C. BASTIEN D. MICHAUD

Douglas-fir, a successful introduction

• Described in 1772 by Archibald Menzies

• Introduced in Europe by David Douglas in 1827

• Introduced en France in 1848

• Covers today more than 400 000 in France

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco

• Presently increasing surface

361 000

390 000

330 000

200419991993

200 000

220 000

240 000

260 000

280 000

300 000

320 000

340 000

360 000

380 000

400 000

Surfa

ces

(ha)

Source France Douglas

Douglas-fir, a successful introduction Douglas-fir in France : a young massif

0

10 000

20 000

30 000

40 000

50 000

60 000 0

- 4

5-

9

10-

14

15-

19

20-

24

25-

29

30-

34

35-

39

40-

44

45-

49

50-

54

55-

59

60-

64

65-

69

70-

74

75-

79

80-

84

Classes d'âge

Surf

ace

(ha)

400 000 ha

Standing volume : 88 millions m3

Annual volume increment : 6,6 million m3 (17 m3/ha/y)

Age classes

Source France Douglas

Douglas-fir, a successful introduction An increasing harvest since 1990

Volume (m3)

Source France Douglas

Douglas-fir, a successful introduction Expected annual DF wood volume production in 2030 in France :

Round wood volume close to 6 millions m3

Sawn volume will be close to 3 millions m3

1990 20021996 2008

2014 2020 2026 - 2029

0

500 000

1 000 000

1 500 000

2 000 000

2 500 000

3 000 000

en m3Evolution prévisionnelle de la production nationale de sciagesExpected Douglas-fir sawn volume (m3)

Source France Douglas

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

Dis

poni

bilit

é (x

100

0 m

3 /an)

Petits Bois Bois MoyensGros Bois Très Gros BoisTotal Simulation hors tempête

Expected Douglas-fir round wood volume (m3)

Douglas-fir, a successful introduction Other attractive characteristics

• No major pest

• Rather drought tolerant

• High wood stiffness

Modulus of elasticity (MPA)

Mean ring width (mm)• Natural regeneration

Breeding objectives

• Lowlands reforestation (up to 1000 m)

• Target traits : Adaptive traits :

- Lateness of bud flushing- GxE stability

Growth : rotation 35-50 years Architecture :

- Reduced forking rate- Reduced branch number & size

Wood properties : maintained (density)

Evolution of Douglas-fir breeding programs in France

• Phase 1 (1985) : evaluation of the natural variability- Provenance tests Selection of seed sources :

French artificial seed standsUS natural identified seed sources (seed zones)

- Conservation of valuable gene pools - Plantation of seed orchards

• Phase 2 (1985 ) : building up a breeding population for long term breeding- EU cooperative DF breeding program (Be, Es, Fr, Ge, It, UK): Evaluation network of about 1000 open pollinated progenies sampled in the best identified seed sources.- Seed orchards evaluation

Natural variability

INRA provenances tests planted 1954 through 1992

• 1954 – 1969 commercial origins BC, Wa, Or. : 6 tests• 1970 – 1977 IUFRO (range wide) : 23 tests• 1981 Intensive INRA / NFV Wash. collection : 3 sites• 1989 – 1992 USFS Ca. provenance collection : 4 sites

TOTAL for INRA: 36 test sites on 115 haTOTAL for FCBA : 18 test sites on 27 ha

Natural variability

Lateness of bud flushing

IUFRO douglas-fir provenances in Peyrat le Château

25°

30°

35°

40°

50°

45°

60°

Growth

European IUFRO test sites

(Breidenstein et al, 1990)15 countries – 108 tests sites

Natural variability

39°43°47°51°

Height grade depending on latitude of provenance siteBreidenstein et al. 1990

X = Coastal prov. (Each provenance is tested on more than 15 sites) = Intermediate prov. = Interior prov.

British Columbia Washington Oregon Californie11

2

3

4

Hei

ght G

rade

Latitude N 55°

Natural variability

Natural variability

• Clinal variation : growth vs elevation

Mazerollas douglas-fir IUFRO provenance testProvenance’s total height at age 8 vs origin’s elevation

(source FCBA)TH (cm)

200

250

300

350

150

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 Altitude (m)

Humptulips Wa. coast

Santiam Or. altitude

Strong instability of Californian populations

Across space

Acro

ss y

ears

Peyrat

Orléans²

Vic en B.

Stability across space (3 sites) and time of 108 IUFRO provenances

25°

30°

35°

40°

50°

45°

60°

Strong sensitivity of southern interior DF to Swiss Needlecast

Embryos

Spain Ger Fra Ita Sco Eng

1014 Eagle Bay (BC) 0.190 0.186 0.1531023 J. Landing (BC) 0.170 0.118 0.170 0.1601030 Squamish (BC) 0.135 0.103 0.0951050 Marble Mount (WA)

0.135 0.114 0.120 0.101 0.072 0.128 0.116

1051 Sedro Wooley (WA)

0.163 0.157 0.136 0.153 0.154 0.134

1054 Arlington (WA) 0.175 0.150 0.064 0.145 0.1211083 Packwood (WA) 0.149 0.138 0.134 0.132 0.1321094 Vernonia (WA) 0.119 0.101 0.018 0.1181118 M. Peak (OR) 0.186 0,176 0.153

Test Sites Precip. (mm) Temp. °C (1) (2) (1) (2)

(Sco) Craigvenean 1000 430 8.4 12.2(Eng) Dean 1000 430 9.9 13.6(Ger) Bederkesa 750 400 8.0 13.0(Fra) Mazerollas 1200 630 10.1 14.6(Esp) Siera del Eje 1380 310 8.5 11.9(Ita) Faltona 780 470 13.0 15.0

(1)= annual (2) = Vegetation period40 to 50 trees sampled per prov. & per test site

Gene pool differentiation of 8 IUFRO populations and differentiation of these provenances established in 6 European test sites at age 23-25 years

(Isoenzymes LAP, GOT-B,GOT-A, SKDH, GDH and PGM-B)(EUDIREC Project – 1999)

IUFRO Provenances

EU common Douglas-fir base populationsSampling areasin the natural range

Evaluation network in EU (1997)

45° N

50° N

40° N

Wa. : 637 progeniesOr. : 358 progenies

55° N

Plantation dates : 1989 - 1997Total surface : 265 haNb of sites : 58

50° N

45° N

DarringtonArlington

WA.

Ecouves(400 m) Darney

(330 m)

Ronno(730 m)

Valmate(400 m)

Arfons(690 m)

IUFRO

3.8

4

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.8

5

Tota

l hei

ght (

m)

ARRD IUFRO IUFRO NOMT1 NOMT2 RNMT SKPR USFSARLINGTON DARINGTON

50° N

45° N

DarringtonArlington

WA.

Example of genetic variation within population

Darrington/Arlington 192 progenies 5 sites – age 9

Example of genetic parameters(Darrington/Arlington 192 progenies – 5 sites – age 9)

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Tot. h

eight

Flushing

Forking

Br. an

gle

Br. sco

re

Sinuosity

h2i1rg

-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0..8

1

Favorable Unfavorable

Flush.Fork.

Angle Branch. Sinuos.Flush. Fork.Height

EcouvesDarneyRonnoArfonsValmate

Efficiency of farm field test for early prediction(example height growth – Darrington – 40 HS families )

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

0,9

Valmate Ecouves Ronno Darney Rialsesses

Orléans CHI Orléans CPSL Peyrat CHI Peyrat CPSL Orl+Pey CPSL

Ran

k C

orre

latio

n be

twee

n fa

mily

mea

ns

Height Growth++ --

0.60

Observation period2 Farm field tests : 2-6 years5 Forest sites: 11 years

Experimental Sites

Ecouves(400 m)

Darney(330 m)

Ronno(730 m)

Valmate(400 m)

Orléans(150 m)

Peyrat(650 m)

Rialsesse(650 m)

CHI : cumulate height incrementCPSL : cumulate primary shoot length

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

0,9

1

Valmate Ronno Ecouves Darney

OrléansPeyratOrl+Pey

correlation between family means

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

0,9

1

Valmate Ronno Ecouves Darney

OrléansPeyratOrl+Pey

Height Growth++

Efficiency of farm field test for early prediction(example forking– Darrington – 40 HS families )

Predictors = % polyc. trees + % SSL/ASL + Nb. yrs with defects

French douglas-fir seed stands and conservation network(Cemagref)

• Seed stands (stat. oct. 2008)

Régions of provenance

Number of stands Surface (ha)

PME901-France low elevation 142 364PME902-France « altitude » 15 36

TOTAL 157 400

A significant proportion of these stands is getting older, with erratic fructification

• Ex situ conservation network of D.F. authentified provenances :

38 populations426 ha

Clonal Seed Orchards Nb clones Surface (ha) Plantation date Category Potential production

Darrington-VG 70 13,7 1978 & 1990 Tested 100 kg Luzette-VG 350 35,5 1981 Tested 350 kg Washington 1-VG 370 7,6 1984 & 1987 Qualified 100 kg Washington 2-VG 137 8,5 1983 Qualified 100 kg Californie-VG 108 5,5 1986 – 1992 Qualified 100 kg France 1,2,3-VG 443 21,5 1989 – 1991 Qualified 200 kg Total 1478 92,3 950 kg

45° N

50° N

40° N

Origins of the clones present in the French S.O.

Efficiency of stimulation treatments on cone production, seed yield and seed genetic quality in Douglas-fir seed orchards (source Cemagref)

6 1

75

47

190

641

1 2 3

ControlGirdling +GA

Seed production (kg/ha)

Cone production (hl/ha)

Seed yield (kg/hl)

0

25

50

75

100

0 25 50 75 100

Cumulative % clones

Cum

ulat

ive

Pi

Control

GA

G+GA

ideal

Mi = (nb male strobili of parent i) . 100 total production

Fi = (nb female flowers or cones of parent i) . 100 total production

Pi = (Fi + Mi) / 2

Pi = proportional gamete contribution

24,0

24,5

25,0

25,5

26,0

26,5

27,0

1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8 1,9 2,0 2,1 2,2 2,3 2,4

Flushing (score 0 to 5)

French SeedZonee 04

Mea

n an

nula

sho

ot e

long

atio

n (c

m)

Early flushingLate flushing

Growth and flushing

Washington 403

1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

2.2

2.4

Branch number (score)

Bra

nch

thic

knes

s (s

core

)

Low density and branch thickness

Thick branches

High branch number

Branching architecture

Seed orchard evaluation (e.g. Darrington & Luzette –age 6) (Source Cemagref – ONF)

Darrington

Luzette

Darrington-VG

Luzette-VG

Washington 403

FrenchSZ 04

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Main goals of the french DF breeding program

• Evaluate the performance and adaptability of existing varietiesMultilocal evaluation of existing varietiesNatural vs artificial regeneration

• Evaluate the place of DF in the context of climate changeEvolution of the bioclimatic zonesPredictor of the DF response to extreme climatic events

•Prepare the DF forest reproductive materials for tomorrow New varieties with more southern base materialDefine the structure and the management of the breeding populationNew selection objectives; interest ? feasibility ? (eg wood properties)

Evaluation network of DF french seed orchardsNew plantations – spring 2009

Traditional plantation area

High elevation

Sub-optimal area low elevation

Outside introduction area (dry site)

Demonstration plots

INRA, Cemagref, ONF, IDF

Genetic quality of a DF natural regeneration(O. Boussaid – 2008)

La Vergne seed stand

Material : 158 parents, 457 offsprings5 chloro & 5 nuclear microsatellites

Main results : • Parents and offsprings genetic diversity are quite similar• Significant pollen flow from outside the study plot• Strong genetic structuration among offsprings (70 m)• Complementary contribution of the various age classes to the offsprings genetic diversity

Conclusion : • Natural regeneration management should overpass the limits of the plot• Sylviculture will not erase the offspring’s genetic structure• A natural regeneration should take benefit of several fructification years

Wood density : a predictor of DF adaptability to extreme climatic events(A. Martinez – 2009)

0 50 100 m.

65 dead trees65 living treesOther trees

IUFRO provenance test Orleans NF (age 32)

Stem wood density (kg/m3)

Stem diameter (mm)

Living trees 468 ± 37 229 ± 40

Dead trees 457 ± 31 226 ± 40

Signif. ** ns

1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0.00

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0.00

1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Abs

olut

e va

lue

log

(p)

Late

woo

d de

nsity

(g/c

m3)

1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

-1

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

-11986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

Abs

olut

e va

lue

log

(p)

Late

woo

d pe

rcen

tage

(%)

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

Prepare tomorrow’s forest reproductive materials (options )G

ENTI

C G

AIN

1000 US 85 progenies in multilocal tests

Clonal test of the 600 clones

600 clones in FCBA & INRA clonal

banks

Seed Orchards : 1486 clones

Sélection on GCA

500 clones progeny tested

Clonal S.O.

Clonal S.O.

Genetic thinning

400 clones 200 clones

Within lines recombinationBreeding population

Seed collection within clonal banks

S.O. of tested families

S.O. of elite clones

European perspectives for a joined DF breeding activity

• Evaluation of existing trial networksManning commercial seed lotsIUFRO range wide provenance collectionINRA-NFV (Birot-Racz) Wa. provenancesUS 85 Wa. & Or. Progenies (EUDIREC)Weyerhaeuser & EU seed orchards (EUDIREC)

• Draw reaction norms for DF in Europe• Define seed transfer rules• Share expertise • Organize breeding• Organize evaluation of varieties

Thank you