Tree breeding is the application of genetic principles to improve the traits of forest trees. It involves selecting superior trees, known as plus trees, for traits like growth, form, and disease resistance. Progeny of plus trees are tested in progeny tests and seed orchards established to produce improved seed for planting. Tree breeding techniques include selection, hybridization, progeny testing, and use of seed orchards. The long generation times of trees require accelerated breeding approaches like vegetative propagation to shorten breeding cycles. Modern techniques also include use of micropropagation and genetic engineering. Tree breeding aims to develop trees with improved traits for yield, quality and stress resistance to enhance forest productivity.

1. BREEDING TECHNIQUE FOR
FOREST TREES
AKSHAY KUMAR
Id no. 39695
M Sc Ag
Genetics and Plant Breeding
GBPUA&T Pantnagar

2. WHAT IS TREE ?
Plant having a permanently woody
main stem or trunk, ordinarily
growing to a considerable height, and
usually developing branches at some
distance from the ground.

3. WHAT IS TREE BREEDING?
Tree breeding is the application of genetic, reproductive biology
and economics principles to the genetic improvement and
management of forest trees.
or
The application of genetic principles and practices to the
development of individual trees, varieties or populations
more suited for the human needs.
Tree improvement- Tree improvement includes the practices of
silviculture and tree breeding meant to enhance the total
yield . In simple world ,tree improvement is an additional tool
of silviculture that deals with the genetics make up of the tree
to be used in forest practices

4. MAJOR CONTRIBUTION OF TREE BREEDING
 Plantation tree growth rates of 25 m³/ha/yr are harvested at
an age of 6 year. With genetic improvement and tree
breeding, average growth rates of 35 m³/ha/yr are being
anticipated (Kellison, 2005)
 The average productivity of poplar under agro forestry system
is 20-25 m3/ ha/ yr, which is five times higher than traditional
forest throughout Punjab, Haryana, UP and some parts of
Bihar, West Bengal and Assam state (Singh et al., 2001).

5. LINKAGES OF TREE BREEDING WITH
TREE IMPROVEMENT
1. Tree improvement relies on traditional breeding techniques -
Selection of superior (plus candidate) trees for volume and stem
straightness, and grafting these into breeding orchards and
producing seed orchards.
2. Success of tree improvement depends upon tree breeding,
silviculture and molecular genetics of species and its particular
varieties.

6. IMPORTANCE OF TREE BREEDING
 Tree breeding helps in increasing yields and shortened
rotations.
 The goal of tree improvement for Agroforestry is to increase
the effectiveness of land for productivity, suitability and
sustainability of land use for rural communities.
 There are a number of key problems or needs that can be
addressed by appropriate use of multipurpose tree species
through tree breeding strategy.
 Breeding programs of fast growing multi-purpose tree species
for farmland planting.

7. ESSENTIAL FEATURES FOR TREE
BREEDING
Choosing appropriate species and sources is the single most important
genetic decision in Tree Breeding.
Components which are of almost universal importance for tree
breeding are
 High rate of net photosynthesis.
 Efficient light interception.
 Full utilization of the growing season.
 Efficient use of water and nutrients.
 Rapid juvenile growth.
 Tolerance to competition.
 Tolerance to Abiotic stress.
 Freedom from Insect and diseases.
 Suitable biomass properties and
 Ease of reproduction and plantation establishment .(Koski and Vihera-
aarnio)

8. TREE BREEDING VERSUS CROP BREEDING
CROP BREEDING
• Reproductive maturity in a
few months.
• Short crop rotations.
• Crop breeding is done with
domesticated varieties.
• Flowering is known.
• Early flowering.
• Easy hybridization.
• Planted on uniform, well
prepared sites.
• Easy come back.
TREE BREEDING
• While most trees require
many years.
• Long rotation.
• Starts with wild stands of
trees.
• Not known.
• Late flowering.
• Tough.
• May be planted over a
much wider range of soils,
sites, and climatic zones.
• Tough.

9. CAUSES OF VARIATION
1. ENVIRONMENTAL -
 Temperature
 Humidity, rainfall
 Wind, soil depth, nature of soil etc.
2. GEOGRAPHIC –
 Longitude
 Latitude and
 Altitude
3. GENETIC -
 Mating system
 Mutation
 Gene flow

10. ENVIRONMENTAL VARIATION
• Environmental -The nature does the selection work , if not disturbed by the
human factor. The factors governing environment variations are temperature,
humidity, rainfall, wind, soil depth, nature of soil etc.
• Geographic – the longitude, latitude and altitude bring about changes in the
species, though environment plays an important role in it.

11. GENETIC VARIATION
GENETIC – The change in gene frequency or genetic makeup from one generation to another
brings greater variation. these variation are caused by
(a) mating system
(b) Mutation
(c) gene flow
Mating system the type of mating system or pollination mechanism existing in a species has its
effect on the variation. The cross pollinated increases heterozygous population.
Mutation helps in maintain variability in a species. The mutated gene is the source of hereditary
variability.
when the out crossing takes place with original population of the area, resulting in gene
migration and thereby causing variation.

12. COMPONENT OF GENERAL BREEDING
STRATEGY
SURVEYING AND IDENTIFICATION OF SUPERIOR PHENOTYPE
ESTABLISHMENT OF CLONAL BANK
CARRYING OUT CLONAL MATING
CARRYING OT GENETIC TEST
MANIPULATION OF TIME IN BREEDING CYCLE
ESTABLISHMENT OF SEED ORCHARD
PRODUCTION OF QUALITY PLANTING STOCK
MAINTENANCE OF BROAD GENETIC BASE
MANAGEMENT OF INBREEDING IN BREEDING AND PRODUCTION
POPULATION
CONTINUITY IN IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME

13. A TREE BREEDER CONSIDERATION
 Most tree species are out-crossing; inbred lines do not exist;
and pedigree tracking is critical
 Traits of interest are typically controlled by many genes and
have low heritability
 Most tree species possess a lot of genetic variability for most
traits of interest.
Improved varieties must be widely adapted and retain a lot of
diversity
 Trees require a lot of land and time to breed and test, and
desirable traits are not always easily measured
 Trees must be bred to survive over decades in highly
heterogeneous environments.

14. SELECTION CRITERIA
Selection criteria comprises of the character.
 Growth parameter
 Volume
 Stem straightness
 Branching pattern
 Wood density
 Drought resistance
 Resistance to specific pest etc.
The basic information required for the selection of plus tree is
 The biology of the variability present in the species
 The economic score and
 The heritability of the particular trait for selection is taken up

15. BREEDING OBJECTIVE
 To improve the quantity and quality of the produce-
- improvement of timber wood.
-pulp –wood.
-fuel –wood.
 Economic return per time on a unit land .
 Quality aspect such as fibre length , specific gravity .
 Disease resistance.
 Input use efficiency.
 Conserve the available biodiversity in that species for future.

16. BREEDING CYCLE IN TREE BREEDING

17. STAGES OF SELECTION AND GENETIC
GAIN

18. TREE BREEDING TECHNIQUES
CONVENTIONAL TREE BREEDING TECHNIQUES
1. Plus tree selection
2. Provenance test
3. Hybridization and production
4. Accelerated breeding
MODERN TREE BREEDING TECHNIQUES-
1.SEED ORCHARDS
2.MICROPROPAGATION - 1- Somatic embryogenesis
2-Organogensis
3.GENETIC ENGINEERING- 1 -Agrobacterium mediated gene transefer
2 -Biolistic method of gene transfer

19. CONVENTIONAL TECHNIQUES
1-PLUS TREE SELECTION
The selection process involves two considerations
 Preliminary reporting of the outstanding tree called candidate
tree
 Final appraisal and approval as plus tree

20. There are basically three method applied for the selection of a
plus tree
 Comparison tree selection
 Baseline selection
 Regression method

21. 1. COMPARISON TREE METHOD OF
SELECTION
 Suitable for even aged natural stands
 First selection of candidate tree – screened for traits in relation
to few surrounding trees
 Comparison tree should be selected from dominant or co-
dominant crown with similar age and site conditions,
approximately within 100m range from the candidate tree
 Superiority of the candidate tree over the average of the
comparison tree is worked out for each trait
 Candidate tree is designated as plus tree if it proves superior
to the comparison trees; otherwise rejected

22. A candidate tree is compared with its nearest neighbours in a stand

24. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS FOR
CANDIDATE TREE SELECTION
 Selection should be done from uniform age
 Comparison tree should be selected from the near vicinity of
the candidate tree
 The candidate tree should be 5% superior in height and 20% in
dbh
 The candidate tree must be free from apparent pest and
disease damage
 Trees should have good seed production capacity

25. 2-BASE LINE METHOD
 It is the selection made simultaneously for all the characters but
rejecting all individuals that fail to meet the minimum selection
standard for any one trait
 Method based the fixation of minimum acceptable standard level
for each trait. Individual are located and their values for traits of
interest are compared with the MSS, below which individual are
eliminated regardless of their acceptability in other characteristic
 This method is useful in uneven aged stands when the
comparison tree adjacent to the candidate trees is not available
 The candidate tree in this case is not compared with the
surrounding tree

26. TREE HEIGHT USING A CLINOMETER DIAMETER AT BREAST HEIGHT (DBH)

27. 3-THE REGRESSION SELECTION SYSTEM
 The most useful method of tree grading for the uneven –aged
or mixed species type stands
 A regression selection system is built by sampling a number of
tree for a desired characteristics, such as volume growth on a
given site, and then plotting them against age
 No need for comparison tree in this method
 suitable for all aged or mixed species

28. Regression is used as follow-
• A candidate tree is chosen, based on
the judgement of the breeder and
measured for the characteristics
desired, such as height or volume.
• The trait is plotted on the regression
graph using the proper age and site.
If the candidate tree falls at some
defined distance above the
regression line, it is acceptable and
the higher above, the more desirable
it become. When the value of the
characteristic falls below the
acceptable level, the tree is rejected

29. PLUS TREES SELECTED IN VARIOUS STATES
States of India
Species U.P.
Punjab &
Harayana
T.N. Kerala
& A&N
Land
M.P.
Maharashtra
Orrisa & Goa
Rajasthan
Gujrat &
D&N
Karnataka
A.P. A&N
Azadirachta indica 47 40 - - -
Dalbergia sissoo 130 - 43 - -
Casuarina equisetifolia 91 - - -
Tectona grandis - 53 330 - 50
Eucalyptus tereticornis - 42 - - -
Dalbergia latifolia - - 15 - -
Tecomella undulata - - - 15 -
Acacia nilotica - - - 4 -
Prosopis cineraria - - - 6 -
Acacia tortilis - - - 8 -
Pinus roxburghii 97 - - - -

30. 2-PROVENANCE TESTING
• Provenances are the original geographical area from which
seeds or other propagules was obtained.
• Seed are collected from a number of widely scattered stand
and the seedling are grown under similar condition to select a
seed source for better growth and adaptability.

31. ROLE OF PROVENANCE TESTS IN TREE BREEDING AND
IMPROVEMENT
• Provenance testing is essential to obtain yield per unit area.
• Plus tree selected without provenance testing may not be
superior
• Assure breeder that he has the best genotype
• To screen the naturally available genetic variation and choose
the best available type for further breeding work

32. THE IDEAL SEQUENCE OF PROVENANCE TESTING IS
• Range wide provenance phase
• Restricted provenance phase
• Provenance providing phase

33. 1-RANGE WIDE PROVENANCE PHASE-
• This phase is the testing phase for all the geographical variation
available within the species. 10-30 provenance are selected and
tried during this phase
• The trial is laid out on small plot size
2-RESTRICTED PROVENANCE PHASE
• On the basis of the RWPP 3-5 provenance are selected that are
found suitable for the site under test
3-PROVENANCE –PROVIDING PHASE
• To confirm the result of restricted provenance phase, this trial is
laid out under normal plantation condition

34. 3-HYBRIDIZATION
Hybridization as a broad term refers to
natural or man-made crosses of
individuals of unlike genetic
constitution.
OBJECTIVES OF HYBRIDIZATION-
• A tree species valuable for its timber
characteristics, but lacking in
resistance to a potent disease or insect
pest, may be combined with a closely
related resistant species to produce a
hybrid including all the desirable
characteristics.
• A species desirable for a certain region
from a forestry standpoint but lacking
in winter or summer hardiness may be
combined with a hardy species to
produce a hybrid adaptable to the
region.

35. TWO METHODS FOR PRODUCTION OF HYBRID SEED IN
COMMERCIALLY USABLE QUANTITIES
• Direct utilization of F1 or first-generation hybrid seed.
• Alternatively, the F1 generation may be utilized as an
intermediate for the production of F2 generation hybrids in
seed orchards by open pollination or by controlled pollination

36. EVALUATION OF HYBRID
 Zobel (1951) used 12 characters for evaluating hybridization between
Coulter and Jeffrey pines, including cone, seed, foliage and oleoresin
characters
 Mergen (1959) reported on studies indicating that stomata distribution is a
reliable criterion of pine hybridity
 Identification on the basis of physical characteristics of seeds, cones, twigs,
and leaves; study may include the internal anatomy of the leaves; also their
colour, pubescence and number and position of stomata
 Characters as resin chemistry in pines (Mirov, 1942, 1946)
 Comparisons may be made with parental physiological responses such as
growth phenology, winter hardiness, and drought resistance

37. P. trichocarpa X P. deltoides = Hybrid Poplars (TD variety)

39. MAINTENACE AND PRODUCTION
(VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION )
 Vegetative propagation resulting genetically identical to the original “donor”
plant.
 One of the most important tool and widely used in tree breeding to manage
breeding population more effectively.
 Mass production.
METHOD-
1-CUTTING 1-STEM CUTTING- Eucalyptus, Casuarinas .
2-ROOT CUTTING- Dalbergia sisoo, Populous alba.
2-LAYERING 1- AIR LAYERING
2- SIMPLE LAYERING-
3-SERPENTINE LAYERING
3-GRAFTING

40. 4-ACCELERATED BREEDING APPROACHES
 Essential requirement for generation interval can be
shortened in tree breeding programme
 Accelerated breeding, reducing the time required to mate
parent tree and collect seed from them once they are
selected
 Involve understanding about the basic physiological processes
involved with maturation and in reproduction in tree and how
this process can be manipulated to promote flowering

41. Accelerated breeding techniques can reduce generation interval and thereby
increase genetic gain per unit time .

42. MODERN TECHNIQUES
1- SEED ORCHARD
A seed orchard is a plantation of genetically superior tree,
isolated to reduced pollination from genetically inferior
outside source, and intensively managed to produce frequent
abundant, easily harvested seed crops. (Zobel et al. 1958)
KIND OF SEED ORCHARD
• Clonal seed orchard
• Seedling –seed orchards

43. 1-CLONAL SEED ORCHARD
 In clonal seed orchard the vegetative material of selected
phenotypes or plus tree is planted in area with good isolation,
under condition favouring flowering and fertilization, and
managed for the production of maximum amount of seeds
CLONAL SEED ORCHARD ARE OF TWO TYPE
 Clonal seed orchard without progeny testing
 Progeny tested clonal orchard

44. WITHOUT PROGENY TESTED
• This consist of tree selection in the wild plated stand, grafting
of scion and establishment of seed orchard
• No progeny testing is carried out
• It is appropriate method if natural population is in danger of
extinction or produce little seed in natural habit and for gene
conservation

45. PROGENY –TESTED
Orchard of this kind contains
large number of clone obtain
through plus tree selection and
grafting. Progenies are tested
after open pollination and
orchard is rouged on the basis
of progeny- test result in which
only the best clone are
retained.

46. 2-SEEDLING –SEED ORCHARD
 In the seedling orchard,
progenies from open or
controlled pollination of
selected phenotypes are
planted at normal plantation
spacing
 The identity of families is
maintained in order to allow
to rouging among families and
among the individual within
families, bases on their
phenotypic performance

47. 2-MICRO PROPAGATION
 Micro propagation refers to in-vitro clonal propagation
 Production of true to type plant is large number in short
duration
 Most versatile method of ensuring uniformity
 Micro propagation generally involve 4 steps
Initiation of aseptic culture shoot multiplication rooting
of in-vitro formed shoots transplantation of plant to a
potting mixture

48. 1-SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS
• Pioneering studies on somatic embryogenesis in conifers were conducted in
Canada in the period of 1968–1980 (Durzan & Steward 1968, Chalupa &
Durzan 1973, Durzan & Chalupa 1976).
• In 1985 Hakman et al. (1985) and Chalupa (1995) initiated somatic
embryogenesis in European spruce.

49. SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS- Can be defined as non –sexual
developmental process ,which produce bipolar embryo from the somatic
cell.
TWO TYPES-
 Direct somatic embryogenesis
 Indirect embryogenesis
DIRECT EMBRYOGENESIS- refers to the development of embryo
directly from the original explant tissue. There are some pre-embryogenic
determined cells that give rise to embryo without an intervening callus
phase .
INDIRECT SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS – it is the formation of
embryo from callus indirect somatic embryogenesis takes place through
induced embryogenesis determined cells.

50. SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS OF ECONOMICALLY
IMPORTANT TREE SPECIES
• Abies (NawrotChorabik 2008; 2009; Salaj & Salaj 2003/4)
• Picea (Klimaszewska et al. 2010; Mihaljević &Jelaska 2005)
• Pinus (Lelu-Walter et al. 2008; Klimaszewska et al. 2001)
• Taxus (Nhut et al.424 Embryogenesis 2007)
• Acer (Ďurkovič & Mišalová 2008)
• Castanea (Corredoira et al. 2003)
• Quercus (Toribo et al. 2005)
• Salix (Naujoks 2007) and
• Ulmus (Ďurkovič & Mišalová 2008; Mala et al. 2007).

51. 3-ORGANOGENESIS
In plant tissue culture, organogenesis is a process of differentiation by
which plant organs are formed.
Organogenesis can achieved by two modes
1. Organogenesis through callus formation
2. Emergence of adventitious organ directly from explants
Several limitations,
low shoot proliferation in forest trees,
excessive phenolic exudation(Linington, 1991), and
shoot tip necrosis (Bargchi & Alderson, 1996) are pronounced in tree
tissue culture.

52. ADVANTAGES OF MICROPROPAGATION
• Year around production of plant irrespective of seasonal
constraint.
• Small space is required
• Small tissue is required as an explant, hence saves the scion
wood to a great extent.

53. 4-GENETIC ENGINEERING-
Agrobacterium mediated genetransfer
 Biolistic method of gene transfer

54. CURRENT STATUS OF TREE GENETIC
ENGINEERING
GENE TRANSFER METHODS IN FOREST TREE SPECIES-
Procedures for genetic transformation of forest trees differ
little from those for other plant species and are mainly
confined to the use of Agrobacterium, with a few reports on
particle bombardment-mediated transformation.

55. THE MAJOR OBSTACLES TO EFFICIENT PRODUCTION OF
TRANSGENIC TREES ARE-
 Difficulties in plant regeneration from Agrobacterium-
infected or particle-bombarded explants;
 Transgene instability during the long lifespan of forest trees.

56. AGROBACTERIUM-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION
OF POPULUS SPECIES
PROCEDURE-

57. BIOLISTIC METHOD

58. KEY TARGETS FOR TREE GENETIC ENGINEERING
1-ENHANCED TOLERANCE TO ABIOTIC STRESS: DROUGHT,
SALINITY AND HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURE -.
• choline oxidase (codA) gene from Arthrobacter globiformis
resulted in increased tolerance to NaCl in several lines of
Eucalyptus globules.
• manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene from Tamarix
androssowii in a hybrid poplar (Populus davidiana Populus
bolleana) resulted in enhanced SOD activity on exposure to
NaCl, along with a remarkable increase in growth.

59. 2-ENHANCED RESISTANCE TO BIOTIC STRESS:
INSECTS AND DISEASE-
 In 2002, insect-resistant black poplar (P. nigra) containing Bt
genes was approved for commercialization by the Chinese
Gene Security Committee.
 Hybrid poplars transformed with a cowpea trypsin inhibitor
gene (CpTI) exhibited resistance to three defoliating insects:
forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria), gypsy moth
(Lymantria dispar) and willow moth (Stilpnotia candida).

60. 3-Enhanced root development has been achieved by modifying
the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of plant
hormones.
4-Improved wood properties -six genes involved in lignin
biosynthesis were down regulated using. suppression of genes
encoding enzymes that act early in the biosynthetic pathway
is the most effective strategy for reducing lignin content.

61. 5-ENHANCED HERBICIDE RESISTANCE-CP4 was isolated
from the Agrobacterium strain CP4 and encodes an enzyme
that has a low affinity for the herbicide glyphosate .
6-PHYTOREMEDIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL
POLLUTANTS-
Populus deltoides has been transformed with the merA and
merB genes, which encode organomercury lyases. Transgenic
plants grown in vitro were highly resistant to phenylmercuric
acetate and were able to detoxify organic mercury
compounds considerably faster than non-transgenic controls
or plants containing either of the two transgenes alone.

62. PROBLEM PECULIAR TO TREE BREEDING AND
IMPROVEMENT
• Time-Require many year to produce the desired traits like
volume wood maturity ,resin etc. they take years to bear flower
and seed
• Necessity of seed - Needs to be concerned with seed production
and effort to experiment on the stimulation of flowering and
fruiting
• No come back- Once a plantation has raised by using a certain
seed lot, it cannot be replaced in midway by other seed , as it will
give high economic loss. However in crop plant another seed can
be used in next season. This is a disadvantage in tree breeding.
• Scarcity of basic genetic information about trees

63. CONCLUSIONS
Tree breeding helps in mass production of seedlings for
achieving higher productivity of timber and wood products.
Both conventional and modern techniques have been used for
tree breeding in global and Indian level. It assists in supplying
large quantities of timber and wood for growing enormous
demand of wood market across the world including India.
Since modern tree breeding techniques are advancing each
day, it has a great potentiality to supply large biomass
demand of the world including India.

64. Plant a Tree, plant a new life….
Take care of trees. They take care of you
thank you