Survey of past, current and future Swedish forest tree breeding.

Abstract

The main species in the Swedish breeding programme are Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and lately lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and birch (mainly Betula pendula). In addition fairly limited breeding activities occur in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula x P. tremuloides), oak (Quercus), larch (Larix), black spruce (Picea mariana), and a few other native and exotic tree species. Currently, exotic species, other than lodgepole pine, do not seem to have any possibility of becoming important in Swedish forestry, and thus the breeding activities in these species will probably remain small. Current breeding activities include i) applied tree breeding including research and development to support the breeding, ii) research and development in mass propagation of reforestation material, and iii) consulting activities and extension directed towards small-scale forest owners, companies and the forest industry as a whole