Balanced forest tree improvement can be enhanced by selecting among many parents but maintaining balance among grandparents

Abstract

A model for a balanced tree breeding program that considers genetic gain and cost was used to assess the benefits of increasing the breeding population to allow for a component of among-parent selection while maintaining an equal contribution among grandparents, rather than relaying on within-family selection with an equal parental representation. The scenario used in this study had characteristics similar to those of the phenotypic selection strategy for Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) in Sweden. The results showed that investments in a greater number of parents and families to allow for among-parent selection resulted in a markedly higher genetic gain. The among-parent selection component increased the genetic gain by as much as 70% in a scenario with a high budget and no family creation costs and by as much as 20% in a scenario with a low budget and high family creation costs.

Published in

Canadian Journal of Forest Research
2008, volume: 38, number: 11, pages: 2797-2803
Publisher: NRC Research Press (Canadian Science Publishing)

SLU Authors

• Lindgren, Dag

  • Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/X08-114

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/19056