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A founder project: marketing the domestication baseline for forest trees

Informally Refereed

Abstract

One of the most apparent benefits of forest genomics programmes is to provide genotypic information on the original selections of tree improvement programmes worldwide. In many breeding programmes, brances from these selections were grafted onto seedlings and the grafted seedlings composed the first seed orchards for planting programmes. with advanced generation orchards or new vegetative propagation technology, these original orchards have become genetic archives. These archives conserve the original selections or founders of domesticated forests thus providing an opportunity for genotyping the entire population of founders. the window of opportunity, known as a Founder Project, is narrowing for obtaining DNA samples from founders because archives are being lost to pests, pathogens, extreme weather events, climate change, constricting budgets and increasing demans for arable land.

Citation

Williams, C. G.; Bridgwater, Floyd E.; Nelson, C. Dana. 2004. A founder project: marketing the domestication baseline for forest trees. Forest Genetic Resources No. 31. FAO, Rome, Italy
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/21294