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

本研究的目的是开发和测试基因组选择模型，以改善安大略省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最广泛种植的树种之一，对加拿大的林产品部门具有很大的经济价值。安大略省黑云杉的传统树木改良计划已经产生了适度的增长，但需要很长时间才能实现。在这里，我们建议测试一种相对较新的方法来改进育种，称为基因组选择，以增加单位时间内安大略省黑云杉育种计划可以实现的增长。我们将收集树木生长和木材质量的数据，以估计安大略省现有黑云杉育种计划中个体的基于系谱的遗传价值，并测试这些模型在应用于更高级的测试种群时的准确性。这项研究将首次提出评估基因组选择应用于安大略省黑云杉育种计划的准确性。基因组选择模型的发展将能够快速鉴定具有木材质量和生长性状优越基因型的单个树木，从而大大缩短种子供应的时间。项目合作伙伴将利用从这项研究中获得的信息来识别遗传上优越的个体，这些个体可以形成先进一代育种计划的基础。这项研究预计将提高森林生产力，从而促进森林工业的经济增长，并通过增加碳固存来帮助减缓气候变化，从而使加拿大人受益。

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.