Loblolly Pine: Sustainable Management of Genetic Resources

Abstract

Management of genetic resources is analogous to sustainable forest management in that a balance between current economic benefits and the long-term health of the forest must be maintained. This paper addresses the issues of adaptive traits and genetic diversity in the tree improvement activities of the members of the North Carolina State University Tree Improvement Program for loblolly pine [Pinus taeda] - now into its third generation of selection and breeding. Aspects discussed are genetic variation (gains achieved, the large and diverse population available for selection, safeguards against reducing the genetic base and thus causing increased susceptibility to pests and stresses, and genetic associations among adaptive traits), the breeding programme (elite and mainline populations, and genetic diversity archives), and future prospects.