orWhy use the best?

Bo Karlsson

Why seed orchard seeds?

Skogforsk in brief

• Forestry and the Government in collaboration

• Applied research and development• R&D for sustainable and profitable

forestry• Over 100 employees, in three locations• Communication of knowledge• Research areas:

- Forest Production- Wood Supply

The short answer: There is a need for wood

Increased wood demand requires increased growth

From Report 25/2008 Skogsstyrelsen. SKA08

Historic

Prediction

Other reasons• Nordic forest industry competes on a global market • Environmental reasons

• Absorb CO2

• Substitute fossil fuels, steel, concrete, plastic, cotton…• Valuable (high) production on certain sites allows

diversity/conservation on other sites• Too long an investment to not use the best• Possible to adjust material to a changing climate

Improved seeds• Are tested• Known properties• Grow/survive better

• Epigenetic effects (?)• Physiological effects (+)

Unimproved stand seeds• Harvested in often clear-cut stands

• Not repeatable• No test results until the seeds are already

used• Difficult to control the whole chain

• ”In 1978, 200 kg of seeds were harvested in provenance X of which Sweden bought 2 ton”

• Dependent on trade policies (rapid changes)

Seed orchards• Selected and tested

• Progeny tests• Realised gain tests

• Repeatable: “The same crop” every year• Process controlled by regulations• Possible to change parent frequencies

• Genetic thinning• Selective harvests• Rolling clone contribution

• Pollen contamination (-)

Genetic gain in

breeding population

Meanwhile: 14 billion plants are planted in Sweden

Realised gain in conventional seed

orchards

År

But, seed orchards are slow

Two seed orchard establishmentsPollen contamination

Volvo new XC90 – delivery 2054 Volvo new XC90

volvocars.se

Breedingfront 35

%

TreO 25 %

EttO TvåO 10 %

Is it important to use the best?

Norway spruce

0

10 000

20 000

30 000

40 000

50 000

60 000

70 000

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

SEK/ha

Genetic gain (%)

Land expectation value

G32

G28

G24

Timber prices, summer 2014Plant price: 2.50 Sek2300 plants/haInterest rate 2,5 %

Norway spruce

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

SEK/plant

Genetic gain (%)

Additional room for investment/gain

G32

G28

G24

Propagation techniquesfor the best improvedseeds

• Vegetative bulk propagation – family forestry• Rooted cuttings• SE (Somatic embryogenesis)

Rooted cuttings• Reliable technique• Used since the 70:ies

• total ~30 million plants• 1 million plants/year

• Price + 2 Sek/plant

SE (Somatic embryogenesis)

• Powerful • Technique being developed• Pilot production on its way

• Price + ?? Sek/plant

Can we get better pine?• Genetic thinning/selective harvest• ”Indoor” seed orchards

Selective harvest in Scots pine seed orchard T19:2 Gotthardsberg

0 pollen contamination

”Indoor” seed orchards outdoors.

Scots pine

-4

-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

SEK/plant

Genetic gain (%)

Additional room for investment/gainT28

T24

T20-15 000

-10 000

-5 000

0

5 000

10 000

15 000

20 000

25 000

30 000

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

SEK/ha

Genetic gain (%)

Land expectation value

T28

T24

T20

Timber prices, summer 2014Plant price: 2.50 Sek2300 plants/haInterest rate 2,5 %

Make sure that your seedlingmakes a tree

• Produce good plants• Proper site preparation• Protect against weevils and browsing• Early non commercial thinning

Seed orchards for healty plants• Ash Sweden/Denmark • Cronartium in pine Sweden

Chalara fraxinea

Improved wood quality

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3

Twis

t (m

m)

Spiral grain angle

Breeding value for clonein N.s. seed orchard Maglehem

Seeds for introduced species

So, why use the best?

• Creates opportunities for• the owner• the nation• and the world

• Plants are designed for the future• The next chance comes in 60 years