Metla Project 3271
Coordination and strategic planning of forest tree breeding
Duration: 2000-2001
Research Programme: Forest tree breeding
Objectives
The general objective of forest tree breeding is to produce genetic improvements in economically important properties of trees. In long-term breeding the maintenance and management of genetic variability is a further special goal. It should facilitate the continuation of tree breeding work in a sustainable and progressive way over several human and tree generations, simultaneously providing continuous readiness for the breeders to respond rapidly to the changing needs of practical forestry.
The main objective of the coordination project is to integrate Finnish tree breeding with the temporal needs of national plans for reforestation seed and plant procurement. Tree breeding activities should be carried out in such a way that new generations of genetically improved material become available when they are needed, at latest when new seed orchards are being established for different tree species and for different parts of the country. Moreover, the resources available for tree breeding should be allocated in such a way that the potentials of various tree species, the needs of different parts of the country, and the interests of all forestry sectors become efficiently and fairly considered.
The coordination project follows closely the developments of tree breeding ideologies at the international level and arranges appropriate adjustments to the national plans. Besides the routine breeding work aimed at the service of seed orchard establishment, research and development work will be continuously carried out with the aim of accelerating the progress of breeding and finding out more efficient methods for the propagation and practical deployment of the achievements of breeding. A special task of the project is the integration of tree breeding to other fields of research and to practical forestry. The project also endeavours to develop and maintain contacts and cooperation with tree breeders at the international level.
Results
In 2001 activities of the project focused on the coordination of other projects included in the Research program for Forest Tree Breeding, and on general planning and organization of tree breeding as a new nationwide task for Metla. The project acted as the main host of an international tree breeding meeting (with participants from Nordic and Baltic countries and Scotland), held in Finland in March 2001.
Related to the general strategic planning of Finnish tree breeding, an advisory board was nominated to monitor national tree breeding activities in Metla. It will convene first time in 2002. Preparation of the national "Long-term tree breeding plan" was continued, and the programme will be ready in 2002.
Project leader:
Mikola, Jouni
Other researchers:
Napola, Jaakko, VA (2001), Vakkari, Pekka, VA (2000)
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Updated 12.06.2012
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