1. Progressing Radiata pine breeding in Australia. M.B. Powell, T.A. McRae, D.J. Pilbeam and H.X. Wu

2. Background to the strategy Tool Development Juvenile Wood Breeding Objectives Strategy Revision Where to? Overview

3. Manages the Australian cooperative genetic improvement program for Pinus radiata. The radiata pine program was developed after the formal amalgamation of independent member programs in 1983. Membership encompasses about half of the Pinus radiata plantings in Australia (300k ha). Southern Tree Breeding Association

4. Members: AKD Softwoods Auspine Forest Enterprises Australia ForestrySA Forestry Tasmania Grand Ridge Plantations (HVP) Great Southern Plantations Green Triangle Forest Products Gunns Hancock Victorian Plantations Horizon2 (NZ) Midway Plantations Norske Skog Paper Mills Saxton Seed Treecorp WA Plantation Resources Research Members: CSIRO - FFP CRC - SPF and CRC - SFL Forest Science Centre UNE (Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit) Forest Research (NZ) Licensed Seed Company: seedEnergy Pty Ltd

5. 1983 – 1993 Constant change and improvement sublining single pair mating, combined index selection sc nucleus, op main expanded membership multiple population sublines 1991/92 - Multiple Population Subline Strategy. Tim White Analysis. Breeding population of 340, nucleus of 40, main of 300. Three unrelated lines MP, DG and G/Ph. 1993 New Zealand implications 1996/97 – suite of progeny trials established in southern states 2000 – 2005 new tools developed History of the strategy

6. 53,000 trees tested 469 families (SC,PX)

7. Tool development 3 basic tools: 1.Data management system 2.Genetic evaluation system 3.Crossing and deployment management system STBA now has the first two and is working towards the third

8. Tool development Management of data and Information STBA data - 500,000 trees potentially accessible from a sixty year period Historically data storage was not done well - numerous ad hoc files. Specifications for a system were developed in the late-1990s.

9. Tool development Management of data and Information STBA-DMS™ developed over the last five years web-based interface stores progeny trial performance data also manages the pedigree for genetic evaluation purposes fully integrated with the TREEPLAN® genetic evaluation system ability to track pedigree for general purpose use in crossing programs, trial measure and assessment etc.

10. Tool development Management of data and Information

11. Tool development TREEPLAN® Genetic Evaluation Accurate prediction of breeding values is fundamental for success Optimal statistical method for breeding value prediction is Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP). BLUP was first introduced to tree improvement in the STBA in 1995 Use of BLUP will maximise the use of genetic information within the STBA cooperative.

12. The STBA and The Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU) have now developed the TREEPLAN® genetic evaluation system Customised for forest tree improvement Has been using it routinely in STBA breeding programs for over three years Tool development TREEPLAN® Genetic Evaluation

13. Regularly updated genetic values are available via the internet through the STBA-DMS™ Enables the STBA to meet its obligations to members by helping to deliver maximum genetic gain in plantations per unit of time and cost Tool development TREEPLAN® Genetic Evaluation

14. Regionalised (GxE) In 2004 TREEPLAN generated breeding values for 78 progeny trials, 134,767 genotypes Large volumes of data will accumulate over the coming years Wood et al. (2001) Tool development TREEPLAN® Genetic Evaluation

15. Tool development TREEPLAN® Genetic Evaluation System

16. Juvenile Wood Initiative Early STBA breeding strategy concentrated on tree volume and form on the assumption that this would lead to more fibre and more profits. Selection has increased growth significantly Rotation age has decreased from 40-45 years to around 27-30 years for various reasons. Wu et al. 2004

17. Juvenile Wood Initiative As a consequence, juvenile wood has increased to about 1/3 to 1/2 of total volume (trend is likely to continue) Improvement of juvenile wood (quantity and quality) is critical for the future of the softwood industry in Australia.

18. Juvenile Wood Initiative 2003 to 2008 – project with CSIRO and FWPRDC focused on improving juvenile wood in radiata pine Aim is to develop methods to accurately predict MoE or wood stiffness in young trees Derive a juvenile wood stiffness index for use in the breeding program.

19. Early goal – sampling 6 trials for density Achieved in mid 2004 – 7000+ cores Information now incorporated into the latest TREEPLAN® genetic evaluation Juvenile Wood Initiative Density sampling

20. Economic Breeding Objectives Most important aspect of a tree improvement program is the definition of a clearly defined breeding objective. Traits in the breeding objective should influence profit ($) The definition of an objective is an economic, not a genetic issue

21. Breeding objectives have commonly been “loosely” defined and based on biology rather than on economic information Historically the breeding objective traits used in Pinus radiata were: Growth (VOLUME) Branch quality (BRANCH) Stem straightness (STEMST) Wood density (DEN) Economic Breeding Objectives

22. Project with FWPRDC and CSIRO commenced in 2001 Two main components : Deriving economic weights for traits in the breeding objective Estimating genetic parameters for key breeding objective traits (rotation age) and selection traits (younger age). Economic Breeding Objectives

23. Methodology Survey of STBA members production systems Development of bio-economic models Assess appropriate breeding objective traits Estimation of relative economic weights Likely breeding objective traits – growth, stem straightness, branching and stiffness Traits and economic weights being incorporated into the STBA radiata pine breeding strategy and TREEPLAN® system Economic Breeding Objectives Economic weights

24. Methodology Age-age data from ~2000 wood samples near rotation age (3 trials) Preliminary results being reported: Growth Wood density, microfibril angle and modulus of elasticity Genetic parameters being incorporated into the STBA radiata pine breeding strategy and TREEPLAN® system Economic Breeding Objectives Genetic parameters

25. Current breeding strategy, 1980s and early 1990s. Theoretical approach rather than the effective and efficient implementation of the program. New strategy focus is on total tree improvement Delivery of genetic gain per unit time Generation interval reduction Selection pressure increased Several areas where the current strategy could be improved Revising the strategy

26. Projects - Breeding Objectives, Juvenile Wood BLUP - TREEPLAN® Operational: Nucleus - more efficient selection and mate allocation methods available Discrete generations – rolling front Pollen Mixes – single crosses and more effective use of pedigree (BLUP) Independent sub-lines – retained to manage inbreeding and deployment Revising the strategy

27. Where to? STBA has access to a highly valuable genetic resource Projects in key target areas have been developed and are largely in place $NPV Index Still some issues: GxE Realised gains

28. Conclusion STBA is putting in place the key tools needed to effectively manage large scale breeding programs Major benefits will come over next few years: Switch to an annualised, rolling front program of crossing and trial establishment Tools to manage key genetic and resource information

29. Acknowledgements STBA Pinus radiata Member companies Particularly: CSIRO FWPRDC