Transcriptomic monitoring of Douglas-fir heartwood formation

Molecular cues linked to heartwood formation open new (complementary) perspectives to genetic breeding programs of Douglas-fir, a tree species largely cultivated in Europe for the natural durability and civil engineering properties of its wood.

RNAs from a single genotype of Douglas-fir, extracted from three distinct wood zones (outer sapwood, inner sapwood and transition zone) at four vegetative seasons to generate an extensive RNA-seq dataset used to apprehend the in-wood dynamic and seasonality of heartwood formation in this hardwood model species. Previously published data collected on somatic embryos of the same genotype could be merged with the present dataset to upgrade grade the Douglas-fir reference transcriptome.