Positioning tree improvement programs to utilize advances in new technologies

Abstract

Forestry will be characterized by many changes in early part of the 21_st century. Forest industries will continue to merge in order to capture greater percentages ofthe woodand paper market. For example, iflnternational Paper Company acquires Champion International Corporation the new group will control 19% of the North American coated paper market (Pulp & Paper Week, 2000). Success of such business transactions will be determined by the returns on shareholder investments. With the merger of industries will come the realignment of research departments including tree improvement programs. Their cost effectiveness will come under even greater scrutiny than before. Forest biotechnology will continue to develop and much money will be invested in programs by the private sector, governmental agencies and universities. Molecular markers for indirect selection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) will continue to be important but the field of biotechnology will advance to identify the genes that directly control trait expression. Advances will also be made in wood utilization. Reconstituted lumber made of veneers, wood chips, or finger-jointed sections will capture more of the solid wood market. Forest biotechnologists will further their collaboration with wood chemists to better understand the lignin synthesis biopathways and greater emphasis will be given to identifying genes that control traits like cell wall thickness and the expression of juvenile and mature woodin trees. There will be important breakthroughs in biotechnology especially for traits like disease and herbicide resistance controlled by single genes. Traits governed by multiple gene complexes will be much more difficult to manipulate because of their complexity and any breakthroughs that develop will come under the scrutiny of an ever-suspicious public.