1. Douglas-fir breeding in France TREEBREEDEX workshop Hann. Münden march 26/27. 2009 J.C. BASTIEN D. MICHAUD

2. Douglas-fir, a successful introduction Described in 1772 by Archibald Menzies Introduced in Europe by David Douglas in 1827 Introduced en France in 1848 Covers today more than 400 000 in France Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco Presently increasing surface Source France Douglas

3. Douglas-fir, a successful introduction Douglas-fir in France : a young massif 400 000 ha Standing volume : 88 millions m 3 Annual volume increment : 6,6 million m 3 (17 m 3 /ha/y) Age classes Source France Douglas

4. Douglas-fir, a successful introduction An increasing harvest since 1990 Volume (m 3 ) Source France Douglas

5. Douglas-fir, a successful introduction Expected annual DF wood volume production in 2030 in France : Round wood volume close to 6 millions m 3 Sawn volume will be close to 3 millions m 3 1990 20021996200 8 20142020 2026 - 2029 Expected Douglas-fir sawn volume (m 3 ) Source France Douglas Expected Douglas-fir round wood volume (m 3 )

6. Douglas-fir, a successful introduction Other attractive characteristics No major pest Rather drought tolerant High wood stiffness Modulus of elasticity (MPA) Mean ring width (mm) Natural regeneration

7. Breeding objectives Lowlands reforestation (up to 1000 m) Target traits :  Adaptive traits : - Lateness of bud flushing - GxE stability  Growth : rotation 35-50 years  Architecture : - Reduced forking rate - Reduced branch number & size  Wood properties : maintained (density)

8. Evolution of Douglas-fir breeding programs in France Phase 1 (  1985) : evaluation of the natural variability - Provenance tests Selection of seed sources : French artificial seed stands US natural identified seed sources (seed zones) - Conservation of valuable gene pools - Plantation of seed orchards Phase 2 (1985  ) : building up a breeding population for long term breeding - EU cooperative DF breeding program (Be, Es, Fr, Ge, It, UK): Evaluation network of about 1000 open pollinated progenies sampled in the best identified seed sources. - Seed orchards evaluation

9. Natural variability INRA provenances tests planted 1954 through 1992 1954 – 1969 commercial origins BC, Wa, Or. : 6 tests 1970 – 1977 IUFRO (range wide) : 23 tests 1981 Intensive INRA / NFV Wash. collection : 3 sites 1989 – 1992 USFS Ca. provenance collection : 4 sites TOTAL for INRA: 36 test sites on 115 ha TOTAL for FCBA : 18 test sites on 27 ha

10. Natural variability Lateness of bud flushing IUFRO douglas-fir provenances in Peyrat le Château 25° 30° 35° 40° 50° 45° 60° Growth

11. European IUFRO test sites (Breidenstein et al, 1990) 15 countries – 108 tests sites Natural variability

12. 39° 43° 47°51° Height grade depending on latitude of provenance site Breidenstein et al. 1990 X = Coastal prov.(Each provenance is tested on more than 15 sites)  = Intermediate prov.  = Interior prov. British Columbia WashingtonOregonCalifornie 1 1 2 3 4 Height Grade Latitude N 55° Natural variability

13. Clinal variation : growth vs elevation Mazerollas douglas-fir IUFRO provenance test Provenance’s total height at age 8 vs origin’s elevation (source FCBA) TH (cm) 200 250 300 350 150 200400600800 1000 12001400 1600 Altitude (m) Humptulips Wa. coast Santiam Or. altitude

14. Strong instability of Californian populations Across space Across years Peyrat Orléans² Vic en B. Stability across space (3 sites) and time of 108 IUFRO provenances Stability across space (3 sites) and time of 108 IUFRO provenances

15. Coastal DF Total height (5 years) Northern interior DF Total height (5 years) Interest of Californian population for southern sites L'Homol L'Homol (Gard, Basses-Cévennes) Alt 540m, rainfall 1622 mm/y. (plantation Spr. 1992)

16. 25° 30° 35° 40° 50° 45° 60° Strong sensitivity of southern interior DF to Swiss Needlecast

17. EmbryosSpainGerFraItaScoEng 1014 Eagle Bay (BC)0.1900.1860.153 1023 J. Landing (BC)0.1700.1180.1700.160 1030 Squamish (BC) 0.1350.1030.095 1050 Marble Mount (WA)0.1350.1140.1200.1010.0720.1280.116 1051 Sedro Wooley (WA) 0.1630.1570.1360.1530.1540.134 1054 Arlington (WA) 0.1750.1500.0640.1450.121 1083 Packwood (WA) 0.1490.1380.1340.132 1094 Vernonia (WA) 0.1190.1010.0180.118 1118 M. Peak (OR)0.1860,1760.153 Test Sites Precip. (mm) Temp. °C (1) (2) (1) (2) (Sco) Craigvenean 1000 430 8.4 12.2 (Eng) Dean 1000 430 9.9 13.6 (Ger) Bederkesa 750 400 8.0 13.0 (Fra) Mazerollas 1200 630 10.1 14.6 (Esp) Siera del Eje 1380 310 8.5 11.9 (Ita) Faltona 780 470 13.0 15.0 (1)= annual(2) = Vegetation period 40 to 50 trees sampled per prov. & per test site Test Sites Precip. (mm) Temp. °C (1) (2) (1) (2) (Sco) Craigvenean 1000 430 8.4 12.2 (Eng) Dean 1000 430 9.9 13.6 (Ger) Bederkesa 750 400 8.0 13.0 (Fra) Mazerollas 1200 630 10.1 14.6 (Esp) Siera del Eje 1380 310 8.5 11.9 (Ita) Faltona 780 470 13.0 15.0 (1)= annual(2) = Vegetation period 40 to 50 trees sampled per prov. & per test site Gene pool differentiation of 8 IUFRO populations and differentiation of these provenances established in 6 European test sites at age 23-25 years (Isoenzymes LAP, GOT-B,GOT-A, SKDH, GDH and PGM-B) (EUDIREC Project – 1999) IUFRO Provenances

18. EU common Douglas-fir base populations Sampling areas in the natural range Evaluation network in EU (1997) 45° N 50° N 40° N Wa. : 637 progenies Or. : 358 progenies 55° N Plantation dates : 1989 - 1997 Total surface : 265 ha Nb of sites : 58

19. 50° N 45° N DarringtonArlington WA. Ecouves (400 m) Darney (330 m) Ronno (730 m) Valmate (400 m) Arfons (690 m) IUFRO 3.8 4 4.2 4.4 4.6 4.8 5 Total height (m) ARRDIUFRO NOMT1NOMT2RNMTSKPRUSFS ARLINGTONDARINGTON 50° N 45° N DarringtonArlington WA. Example of genetic variation within population Darrington/Arlington 192 progenies 5 sites – age 9

20. Example of genetic parameters (Darrington/Arlington 192 progenies – 5 sites – age 9)

21. Efficiency of farm field test for early prediction (example height growth – Darrington – 40 HS families ) Rank Correlation between family means Height Growth + - 0.60 Observation period 2 Farm field tests : 2-6 years 5 Forest sites: 11 years Observation period 2 Farm field tests : 2-6 years 5 Forest sites: 11 years Experimental Sites Ecouves (400 m) Darney (330 m) Ronno (730 m) Valmate (400 m) Orléans (150 m) Peyrat (650 m) Rialsesse (650 m) CHI : cumulate height increment CPSL : cumulate primary shoot length

22. correlation between family means Height Growth + Efficiency of farm field test for early prediction (example forking– Darrington – 40 HS families ) Predictors = % polyc. trees + % SSL/ASL + Nb. yrs with defects

23. French douglas-fir seed stands and conservation network (Cemagref) Seed stands (stat. oct. 2008) Régions of provenanceNumber of stands Surface (ha) PME901-France low elevation142364 PME902-France « altitude »1536 TOTAL157400 A significant proportion of these stands is getting older, with erratic fructification Ex situ conservation network of D.F. authentified provenances : 38 populations 426 ha

24. Clonal Seed Orchards Nb clones Surface (ha)Plantation date Category Potential production Darrington-VG 7013,71978 & 1990 Tested100 kg Luzette-VG 350 35,5 1981 Tested350 kg Washington 1-VG 370 7,61984 & 1987 Qualified100 kg Washington 2-VG 137 8,5 1983 Qualified100 kg Californie-VG 108 5,51986 – 1992 Qualified100 kg France 1,2,3-VG 443 21,5 1989 – 1991 Qualified200 kg Total 1478 92,3950 kg 45° N 50° N 40° N Origins of the clones present in the French S.O.

25. Efficiency of stimulation treatments on cone production, seed yield and seed genetic quality in Douglas-fir seed orchards (source Cemagref) 6 1 75 47 190 641 123 Control Girdling +GA Seed production (kg/ha) Cone production (hl/ha) Seed yield (kg/hl) Mi = (nb male strobili of parent i). 100 total production Fi = (nb female flowers or cones of parent i). 100 total production Pi = (Fi + Mi) / 2 Pi = proportional gamete contribution

26. 24,0 24,5 25,0 25,5 26,0 26,5 27,0 1,51,61,71,81,92,02,12,22,32,4 Flushing (score 0 to 5) French Seed Zonee 04 Mean annula shoot elongation (cm) Early flushing Late flushing Growth and flushing Washington 403 1.41.61.82.02.22.42.6 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 Branch number (score) Branch thickness (score) Low density and branch thickness Thick branches High branch number Branching architecture Seed orchard evaluation (e.g. Darrington & Luzette –age 6) (Source Cemagref – ONF) Darrington Luzette Darrington-VG Luzette-VG Washington 403 FrenchS Z 04 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

27. Main goals of the french DF breeding program Evaluate the performance and adaptability of existing varieties  Multilocal evaluation of existing varieties  Natural vs artificial regeneration Evaluate the place of DF in the context of climate change  Evolution of the bioclimatic zones  Predictor of the DF response to extreme climatic events Prepare the DF forest reproductive materials for tomorrow  New varieties with more southern base material  Define the structure and the management of the breeding population  New selection objectives; interest ? feasibility ? (eg wood properties)

28. Evaluation network of DF french seed orchards New plantations – spring 2009 Traditional plantation area High elevation Sub-optimal area low elevation Outside introduction area (dry site) Demonstration plots INRA, Cemagref, ONF, IDF

29. Genetic quality of a DF natural regeneration (O. Boussaid – 2008) La Vergne seed stand Material : 158 parents, 457 offsprings 5 chloro & 5 nuclear microsatellites Main results : Parents and offsprings genetic diversity are quite similar Significant pollen flow from outside the study plot Strong genetic structuration among offsprings (70 m) Complementary contribution of the various age classes to the offsprings genetic diversity Conclusion : Natural regeneration management should overpass the limits of the plot Sylviculture will not erase the offspring’s genetic structure A natural regeneration should take benefit of several fructification years

30. Wood density : a predictor of DF adaptability to extreme climatic events (A. Martinez – 2009) 0 50 100 m. 65 dead trees 65 living trees Other trees IUFRO provenance test Orleans NF (age 32) Stem wood density (kg/m3) Stem diameter (mm) Living trees 468 ± 37229 ± 40 Dead trees 457 ± 31226 ± 40 Signif. **ns 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 65432106543210 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0.00 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0.00 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 65432106543210 Absolute value log (p) Late wood density (g/cm3) 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 Absolute value log (p) Late wood percentage (%) 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0

31. Prepare tomorrow’s forest reproductive materials (options ) GENTIC GAIN 1000 US 85 progenies in multilocal tests Clonal test of the 600 clones 600 clones in FCBA & INRA clonal banks Seed Orchards : 1486 clones Sélection on GCA 500 clones progeny tested Clonal S.O. Genetic thinning 400 clones200 clones Within lines recombination Breeding population Seed collection within clonal banks S.O. of tested families S.O. of elite clones

32. European perspectives for a joined DF breeding activity Evaluation of existing trial networks  Manning commercial seed lots  IUFRO range wide provenance collection  INRA-NFV (Birot-Racz) Wa. provenances  US 85 Wa. & Or. Progenies (EUDIREC)  Weyerhaeuser & EU seed orchards (EUDIREC) Draw reaction norms for DF in Europe Define seed transfer rules Share expertise Organize breeding Organize evaluation of varieties

33. Thank you