Eucalyptus applied genomics: from gene sequences to breeding tools

Eucalyptus is the most widely planted hardwood crop in the tropical and subtropical world because of its superior growth, broad adaptability and multipurpose wood properties. Plantation forestry of Eucalyptus supplies high-quality woody biomass for several industrial applications while reducing the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New phytologist 2008-09, Vol.179 (4), p.911-929
Main Authors: Grattapaglia, Dario, Kirst, Matias
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alleles
association genetics
Breeding
Breeding - methods
Chromosome Mapping
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus - genetics
Eucalyptus - physiology
Eucalyptus grandis
Forest genetics
Genetic Engineering
Genetic Markers
Genetic Variation
Genome, Plant
Genomes
Genomics
Hybridity
Linkage Disequilibrium
molecular breeding
molecular markers
Phenotypic traits
Plant genetics
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Population genetics
Quantitative Trait Loci
quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping
Tansley Reviews
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Eucalyptus is the most widely planted hardwood crop in the tropical and subtropical world because of its superior growth, broad adaptability and multipurpose wood properties. Plantation forestry of Eucalyptus supplies high-quality woody biomass for several industrial applications while reducing the pressure on tropical forests and associated biodiversity. This review links current eucalypt breeding practices with existing and emerging genomic tools. A brief discussion provides a background to modern eucalypt breeding together with some current applications of molecular markers in support of operational breeding. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and genetical genomics are reviewed and an in-depth perspective is provided on the power of association genetics to dissect quantitative variation in this highly diverse organism. Finally, some challenges and opportunities to integrate genomic information into directional selective breeding are discussed in light of the upcoming draft of the Eucalyptus grandis genome. Given the extraordinary genetic variation that exists in the genus Eucalyptus, the ingenuity of most breeders, and the powerful genomic tools that have become available, the prospects of applied genomics in Eucalyptus forest production are encouraging.
ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02503.x