Development and validation of genomic-assisted breeding models for increased productivity and wood quality of black spruce in Ontario, Canada

该研究的目的是开发和测试基因组选择模型，以改善安大略西北部黑云杉的生长和木材质量。黑云杉是加拿大北方森林中最丰富和广泛种植的树种之一，对加拿大的林产品部门具有巨大的经济价值。在安大略，传统的黑云杉树木改良计划在生长方面取得了一定的进展，但需要很长的时间才能实现。在这里，我们建议测试应用一个相对较新的方法，以改善育种，称为基因组选择，以增加每单位时间的增长，可以实现安大略的黑云杉育种计划。我们将收集树木生长和木材质量的数据，估计在现有的黑云杉育种计划在安大略和测试这些模型的准确性时，适用于更先进的一代测试人群的个人基于谱系的遗传价值。这项研究将是第一次提出来评估的准确性基因组选择适用于操作育种计划的黑云杉在安大略。基因组选择模型的发展将使木材质量和生长性状的上级基因型个体树木的快速识别，提供了一个更短的时间操作种子供应。项目合作伙伴将利用从本研究中获得的信息，以确定遗传上的上级个体，可以形成先进的一代育种计划的基础。这项研究预计将提高森林生产力，这将有利于加拿大人，因为它有助于林业的经济增长，并有助于通过增加碳固存来减缓气候变化。

The objective of the proposed research is to develop and test genomic selection models to improve the growth and wood quality of black spruce in northwestern Ontario. Black spruce is one of the most abundant and widely planted tree species in the boreal forest of Canada and is of great economic value to Canada's forest products sector. Traditional tree improvement programs for black spruce in Ontario have produced modest gains in growth but take long periods of time to achieve. Here, we propose to test the application of a relatively new approach to improved breeding, termed genomic selection, to increase the growth per unit time that can be achieved for Ontario's black spruce breeding programs. We will collect data on tree growth and wood quality to estimate the pedigree-based genetic worth of individuals in an existing black spruce breeding program in Ontario and test the accuracy of those models when applied to more advanced generation test populations. This study will be the first proposed to evaluate the accuracy of genomic selection applied to an operational breeding program of black spruce in Ontario. The development of a genomic selection model will enable the rapid identification of individual trees with superior genotypes for wood quality and growth traits, providing a much shorter time to operational seed supply. Project partners will utilize the information gained from this study to identify genetically superior individuals that can form the basis of advanced generation breeding programs. Increases in forest productivity expected to result from this study will benefit Canadians by contributing to the economic growth of the forest industry and by helping to mitigate climate change through increased carbon sequestration.