1. Tree Improvement Cycle
Creating a Better Tree

2. Tree Improvement Application of knowledge to produce superior trees
Improvement can be made in:
-Trees’ growth rate
-Disease resistance
-Stem, wood and/or fiber quality

3. Tree Selection Find “good” trees Collect their seeds or take cuttings
Cross bred them
Test the offspring
Select the best of the offspring
Repeat
Easy?

4. What is a “good” tree?
Crown: Narrow; Short vs. height of tree; healthy
Branches: small diameter
Stem: Straight; low taper; high volume vs. neighbors; disease and/or insect resistant; high quality wood

5. Selection
Select trees in natural stands based on physical characteristics; superior growth, form, reduce disease and/or insect damage.

6. Collect seeds or take grafts
To preserve the genetic material, seeds of the selected tree or twigs are collected to graft on to root stock.

7. Test Offspring
Testing involves growing seedlings of each parent and comparing them to other selected seedlings to determine the capability of the parents to pass on their genetic superiority.

8. Breeding
Breeders isolate young flowers of parent trees so that unwanted pollen can not contaminate the tree.

9. Seed Orchard
Select the best of the offspring to establish a seed orchard
Repeat the process

10. Time
It takes 6-8 years before one receives useful results from testing
About 10 years after a seed orchard is establish it will produce seed for reforestation