Developments in genomics and biotechnology are opening up new avenues for accelerating the domestication of forest trees in a climate change-driven world. This book presents an authoritative update of forest tree biotechnology and genomics methodologies, procedures and accomplishments, from basic biological science to applications in forestry and related sciences. It gives expert evaluation of achievements and discussion about the impact that novel forest biotechnological and genomics approaches are having on traditional breeding for improvement of forest tree species and production of forest-based products. It also describes the legal and regulatory aspects of forest biotechnology, with an emphasis on biosafety. It is a reference for forest biologists, including basic and applied scientists involved in forest tree breeding and biotechnology, bioenergy research, biomaterial product development. It is a comprehensive text for graduate-level students in the areas of Plant Biology and Forest Genetics, Silviculture and Agroforestry, and Bioenergy Science and Technology.

This Research Topic addresses research in genomics and biotechnology to improve the growth and quality of forest trees for wood, pulp, biorefineries and carbon capture. Forests are the world’s greatest repository of terrestrial biomass and biodiversity. Forests serve critical ecological services, supporting the preservation of fauna and flora, and water resources. Planted forests also offer a renewable source of timber, for pulp and paper production, and the biorefinery. Despite their fundamental role for society, thousands of hectares of forests are lost annually due to deforestation, pests, pathogens and urban development. As a consequence, there is an increasing need to develop trees that are more productive under lower inputs, while understanding how they adapt to the environment and respond to biotic and abiotic stress. Forest genomics and biotechnology, disciplines that study the genetic composition of trees and the methods required to modify them, began over a quarter of a century ago with the development of the first genetic maps and establishment of early methods of genetic transformation. Since then, genomics and biotechnology have impacted all research areas of forestry. Genome analyses of tree populations have uncovered genes involved in adaptation and response to biotic and abiotic stress. Genes that regulate growth and development have been identified, and in many cases their mechanisms of action have been described. Genetic transformation is now widely used to understand the roles of genes and to develop germplasm that is more suitable for commercial tree plantations. However, in contrast to many annual crops that have benefited from centuries of domestication and extensive genomic and biotechnology research, in forestry the field is still in its infancy. Thus, tremendous opportunities remain unexplored. This Research Topic aims to briefly summarize recent findings, to discuss long-term goals and to think ahead about future developments and how this can be applied to improve growth and quality of forest trees.

This is a report on a symposium that took place 2-3 September 2004. It comprises welcoming addresses from the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Canadian Forest Service and the President of Genome Canada; a paper that discusses the relevance of genomics to the sustainable development of Canada's forests; and 13 presentations on current research in this area, grouped under the headings tree genomics, genomics of insect pests and their viral pathogens, and fungal genomics. A section on the discussions that took place during the symposium is also included.

During the 4th International Consultation on Forest Genetics and Tree Building, held in 1998 in Beijing, China, leading scientists were invited to review past achievements, to redefine the role of forest genetics and breeding in contemporary forestry, and to set priorities for future research and development. On the basis of the invited presentations, the volume summarizes the state of knowledge in various fields, such as the impact of forest management and of changing environmental conditions on genetic resources, and the value of genetic markers as indicators for adaptational potential, as well as the tasks of conservation. Detailed reports from the different continents provide a comprehensive diagnosis of the global situation of forest genetics and tree breeding research. The book offers not only an overview of contemporary trends and expected future developments, but also identifies current main problems in funding and cooperation. It may prove therefore useful not only for scientists, university lecturers and advanced students in the field of forestry, ecology and conservation biology, but also for decision makers and managers in companies and conservation organizations.

Forest trees cover 30% of the earth's land surface, providing renewable fuel, wood, timber, shelter, fruits, leaves, bark, roots, and are source of medicinal products in addition to benefits such as carbon sequestration, water shed protection, and habitat for 1/3 of terrestrial species. However, the genetic analysis and breeding of trees has lagged

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the application level for various agricultural biotechnologies across Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors examine the capacity available as well as the enabling environment, including policy and investments, for facilitating agricultural biotechnology development and use in the region. For each Sub-Saharan country, the status of biotechnology application is assessed in four major sectors; Crops, Livestock, Forestry and Aquaculture. Examples such as the number and requisite skill levels of trained personnel, biosafety frameworks and public awareness are surfaced in these chapters. This work also discusses the impact of push-pull factors on research, training and food security and identifies opportunities for investment in biotechnology and local agribusiness. Development partners, policy makers, agricultural consultants as well as scientists and private sector investors with an interest in biotechnology initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa will find this collection an important account to identify key gaps in capacity and policy, as well as priority areas going forward. The volume highlights ways to develop technology and increase agricultural production capacity through international cooperation and inclusive economic growth, making it a valuable practice guide in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 2 Zero Hunger and SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth. Clear case studies round off the reading experience.

After the successful conclusion of the Joint Meeting of IUFRO’s 7.03.05 & 7.03.10 working parties and given the exciting and novel studies that have been presented in the framework of this meeting, we decided to present some of these studies in the current Special Issue of Forests. To make this issue more appealing and interesting to everyone in the field of Forest Protection, studies that cover a wide range of topics were selected, ranging from ecology and phylogeography to forest management and protection. More importantly, as these studies refer to pests and pathogens from different parts of the world, it is expected that the knowledge gained can be further used in the protection of natural environment worldwide.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of plant omics and big data in the fields of plant and crop biology. It discusses each omics layer individually, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and covers model and non-model species. In a section on advanced topics, it considers developments in each specialized domain, including genome editing and enhanced breeding strategies (such as genomic selection and high-throughput phenotyping), with the aim of providing tools to help tackle global food security issues. The importance of online resources in big data biology are highlighted in a section summarizing both wet- and dry-biological portals. This section introduces biological resources, datasets, online bioinformatics tools and approaches that are in the public domain. This book is for students, engineers, researchers and academics in plant biology, genetics, biotechnology and bioinformatics.

Genome sequencing has become a basic tool of plant and animal breeding. Reduced costs have allowed the sequencing of thousands of plant lines or cultivars, leading to previously unobtainable insights into genetic impacts during breeding and generating large numbers of novel candidate breeding genes. This book summarizes the impacts that the genome sequencing revolution has had on agriculture with reference to applications across species and locations. It explains new techniques and their use in understanding epigenetics, breeding and conservation. It is a useful resource for scientists wanting to learn how different fields of agriculture have adapted novel genome sequencing technologies to their requirements, and for those wanting to transfer technologies and lessons learned from one field of agriculture to another. This book is a useful resource for students and researchers in biotechnology, genetics, genomics and breeding.

Technology for modifying the genotypes and phenotypes of insects and other arthropods has steadily progressed with the development of more precise and powerful methods, most prominently transgenic modification. For many insect pests, there is now almost unlimited ability to modify phenotypes to benefit human health and agriculture. Precise DNA modifications and gene drive have the power to make wild-type populations less harmful in ways that could never have been performed with previous transgenic approaches. This transition from primarily laboratory science to greater application for field use has also necessitated greater development of modeling, ethical considerations and regulatory oversight. The 2nd Edition of Transgenic Insects contains chapters contributed by experts in the field that cover technologies and applications that are now possible. This edition includes increased attention to associated challenges of risk assessment, regulation, and public engagement. This book will be very valuable to students and researchers in entomology, molecular biology, genetics, public health and agriculture, and will also appeal to practitioners who are implementing the technology, and to regulators, stakeholders and ethicists.