Recent Developments in Biotechnology: Possible Applications to Forest Tree Breeding in Southern Africa

Abstract

New biotechnological techniques promise to play an important role in increasing the rate at which progress can be made in tree breeding if used in conjunction with conventional methods. The development of suitable tissue culture techniques for trees would make it feasible to propagate desirable clones, to obtain pure lines for the utilisation of heterosis and to use protoplasts for the rapid transfer of genetic material. In the longer term, genetic engineering also shows great potential for the modification of trees.