Infusing resilience into the Scots pine genetic resource
Project leads Dr Richard Whittet | Forest Research; Dr Annika Perry | UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Lead organisation Forest Research
Project status Active
Project funding 25-26 £81,195
Research outcomes Reducing the risk | Adaptation | Recovery
Context
Forestry is seeking to develop secondary species to diversify the mix of species planted in British forests. Tree breeding can help to make the cost of diversification more bearable.
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is a good candidate for tree breeding as there has already been a large breeding programme in the 20th century because:
- demand for seedlings is large and growing
- there is clear room for improvement
- it has been shown to socially and economically justifiable.
We are reopening the national Scots pine breeding programme by bringing together multiple sources of material into a genetic field-testing campaign. We have updated our breeding objectives to include resilience to both biotic and abiotic stress.
Research aims and objectives
Aim:
Infuse resilience into the Scots pine genetic resource.
Objectives:
- Plant new Scots pine progeny trials in 2028 in up to five locations in GB
- Plant a new quality-assured breeding arboretum, to store DNA-verified selected parents
- Improve understanding of, and our ability to assess, Scots pine responses to Dothistroma needle blight (Dothistroma septosporum) by exploring how variation in needle morphology and spectral signatures relates to field observations.
- Explore how Scots pine responds to compound stress e.g. drought and waterlogging.
Another of our projects is conducting similar research, see here for more information: Investigating Scots pine resilience.
Expected outcomes
- Up to five new Scots pine progeny trials.
- A quality-assured breeding arboretum containing verified copies of selected parents.
- New methods to use when assessing the trials in future.
Title image: Crown Copyright. Forest Research – George Gate
Body image: Crown Copyright. Forest Research – Dr Richard Whittet
Glossary & Key Terms
Abiotic stress
Stress caused by physical and environmental factors.
Biotic stress
Stress caused by living organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and insects.
Dothistroma needle blight (Dothistroma septosporum)
Needle morphology
The physical characteristics and structural traits of tree needles, such as their length, width, shape, and surface features, that may influence the tree’s resilience to environmental stressors and diseases.
Progeny
A descendent or offspring.
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Scots pine is one of three native conifers but is the only one of commercial importance. It is tolerant of dry conditions which makes this an increasingly valuable species for sites in eastern Britain where drought risk is likely to increase under climate change. Scots pine is categorised as a principal tree species. These are tree species where silvicultural knowledge provides confidence to enable successful deployment across Britain. The species are either already widely used or are increasing in usage. They will continue to be important unless affected by a new pest or disease or become adversely affected by climate change. For more information, see Scots pine (SP) – Forest Research
Spectral signatures
The unique patterns of electromagnetic radiation (light) that an object or material reflects or emits across different wavelengths.
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