Integrative Pre-Breeding for Biotic Resistance in Forest Trees

Area of Science:

• Forestry
• Evolutionary Genomics
• Plant Pathology

Background:

• Climate change is increasing novel biotic interactions affecting forest tree health and survival.
• Forest tree populations face unprecedented threats from emerging pests and diseases.
• Understanding biotic resistance is crucial for forest conservation and sustainable management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review opportunities in ecological evolutionary genomics for forest tree biotic resistance.
• To highlight methods for identifying, conserving, and breeding resistant tree phenotypes.
• To explore the genetic basis of tree resistance to biotic stresses.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing current literature on ecological evolutionary genomics and forest tree resistance.
• Discussing genomic architecture analysis of biotic stress resistance.
• Outlining pipelines integrating ecology, phylogeography, and omnigenetics for predictive breeding.

Main Results:

• Biotic stress resistance in trees is often polygenic, not solely Mendelian.
• Ecological evolutionary genomics offers tools to understand host-pathogen co-evolution.
• Predictive breeding platforms can leverage natural tree pre-adaptations.

Conclusions:

• Integrative ecological genomic studies enhance understanding of antagonistic co-evolutionary interactions.
• Genomic approaches facilitate more efficient breeding for resistant forest tree phenotypes.
• Harnessing natural resistance is key to mitigating climate change impacts on forests.