Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunities

Forests are essential for global ecological, economic, and social stability; however, they are increasingly threatened by global environmental changes. Traditional breeding methods like marker-assisted and genomic selections have long been used in forest tree improvement to address these challenges....

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Main Authors: Chenglin Li, Baochen Li, Wenxuan Zhao, Jiebei Jiang, Jieshi Tang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Trees, Forests and People
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000937
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author Chenglin Li
Baochen Li
Wenxuan Zhao
Jiebei Jiang
Jieshi Tang
author_facet Chenglin Li
Baochen Li
Wenxuan Zhao
Jiebei Jiang
Jieshi Tang
author_sort Chenglin Li
collection DOAJ
description Forests are essential for global ecological, economic, and social stability; however, they are increasingly threatened by global environmental changes. Traditional breeding methods like marker-assisted and genomic selections have long been used in forest tree improvement to address these challenges. However, the long generation times and complex genetics of forest trees limit their effectiveness. Molecular genetic breeding of forest trees has emerged as a transformative strategy to enhance resilience and adaptability. Gene-editing technology advances, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have enabled precise genetic modifications to improve traits such as drought tolerance, pest resistance, and growth rates. Additionally, innovative techniques, such as gene and cell engineering, are being explored to increase genetic diversity and enhance tree performance under changing environmental conditions. However, challenges, such as regulatory concerns, scalability, and trait stability, remain. We examined the current state of the molecular genetic breeding of forest trees, highlighting their unique roles in addressing specific challenges. We evaluated the advantages and limitations of traditional and innovative approaches, emphasizing the need for their integration to develop tree varieties capable of thriving under global environmental change. These efforts are vital for sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration enhancement, ultimately contributing to forest ecosystems' long-term health and stability.
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language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Trees, Forests and People
spelling doaj-art-32b9ab3790af4937b28acb65146987d72025-08-20T02:18:55ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932025-06-012010086710.1016/j.tfp.2025.100867Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunitiesChenglin Li0Baochen Li1Wenxuan Zhao2Jiebei Jiang3Jieshi Tang4Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 610000, China; Environmental Health Effects and Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Luzhou, School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, ChinaXianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou 311231, ChinaCollege of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830000, ChinaSichuan Forestry and Grassland Survey and Planning Institute, Chengdu 610000, ChinaBiogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 610000, China; Research Center for Rural Energy and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610000, China; Corresponding author.Forests are essential for global ecological, economic, and social stability; however, they are increasingly threatened by global environmental changes. Traditional breeding methods like marker-assisted and genomic selections have long been used in forest tree improvement to address these challenges. However, the long generation times and complex genetics of forest trees limit their effectiveness. Molecular genetic breeding of forest trees has emerged as a transformative strategy to enhance resilience and adaptability. Gene-editing technology advances, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have enabled precise genetic modifications to improve traits such as drought tolerance, pest resistance, and growth rates. Additionally, innovative techniques, such as gene and cell engineering, are being explored to increase genetic diversity and enhance tree performance under changing environmental conditions. However, challenges, such as regulatory concerns, scalability, and trait stability, remain. We examined the current state of the molecular genetic breeding of forest trees, highlighting their unique roles in addressing specific challenges. We evaluated the advantages and limitations of traditional and innovative approaches, emphasizing the need for their integration to develop tree varieties capable of thriving under global environmental change. These efforts are vital for sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration enhancement, ultimately contributing to forest ecosystems' long-term health and stability.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000937Tree geneticsTree breedingMolecular breedingGenetic improvement
spellingShingle Chenglin Li
Baochen Li
Wenxuan Zhao
Jiebei Jiang
Jieshi Tang
Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunities
Trees, Forests and People
Tree genetics
Tree breeding
Molecular breeding
Genetic improvement
title Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunities
title_full Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunities
title_fullStr Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunities
title_full_unstemmed Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunities
title_short Forest tree breeding under the global environmental change: Challenges and opportunities
title_sort forest tree breeding under the global environmental change challenges and opportunities
topic Tree genetics
Tree breeding
Molecular breeding
Genetic improvement
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000937
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AT baochenli foresttreebreedingundertheglobalenvironmentalchangechallengesandopportunities
AT wenxuanzhao foresttreebreedingundertheglobalenvironmentalchangechallengesandopportunities
AT jiebeijiang foresttreebreedingundertheglobalenvironmentalchangechallengesandopportunities
AT jieshitang foresttreebreedingundertheglobalenvironmentalchangechallengesandopportunities