The book was published by Springer International Publishing as Forestry Sciences Volume 83January 2018. https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319650173

Authors: Rowland Burdon, William Libby and Alan Brown

XXXV, 480 pages, ISBN 978–3–319–65017–3

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DOMESTICATION OF RADIATA PINE:

REVIEWS and MORE

KEYWORDS FOR SEARCH ENGINESdomestication, radiata, pine, plantations, reviews, authors, abstracts, errata, case study, strategy, genetics, wood

Contents of this Blog

ABSTRACT: “DOMESTICATION OF RADIATA PINE”......................................................................................3

CHAPTER SUMMARIES..........................................................................................................................3

Preface.......................................................................................................................................3

Chapter 1. ... Introduction...........................................................................................................3

Chapter 2. … to 1900...................................................................................................................4

Chapter 3. … 1901−1950.............................................................................................................4

Chapter 4. … 1951−1968.............................................................................................................5

Chapter 5. … 1969−1983.............................................................................................................5

Chapter 6. … 1984−1997.............................................................................................................6

Chapter 7. … 1998−present …......................................................................................................6

Chapter 8. … In Retrospect..........................................................................................................6

Chapter 9. … The Future..............................................................................................................7

THE AUTHORS...................................................................................................................................7

Rowland Burdon.........................................................................................................................7

Bill Libby.....................................................................................................................................8

Alan Brown.................................................................................................................................8

REVIEWS..........................................................................................................................................8

Extract from Review by John A Helms......................................................................................8

Extract from Review by Harry X Wu.........................................................................................8

CORRECTIONS TO BOOK “DOMESTICATION OF RADIATA PINE”..................................................................9

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Abstract: “Domestication of Radiata Pine”© Springer 2017

An obscure, highly localised Californian conifer, the Monterey pine or radiata pine (Pinus radiata) has become a major international timber crop in mild temperate climates. Over four million hectares of highly productive plantations represent around 500 times its natural extent. This commitment reflects its very rapid growth, considerable site tolerances and the versatility of its wood for a range of processes and end-uses. Beginning about two centuries ago, human intervention brought its naturalisation in various parts of the world. From that, domestication has been based largely on the strongly interacting planks of management inputs and genetic improvement, largely but not exclusively for producing wood. The many technical developments on both these fronts are traced, with a weighting in the direction of the genetic improvement. Following an introduction, coverage is in historical periods, six chapters covering periods from the distant past to the present. These accounts are followed by a brief retrospective chapter, with the final chapter addressing the future. This domestication, while very advanced for a forest tree, is in an early stage compared with that of many crop plants and fruits. However, it represents a classic case history in the development of modern plantation forestry, spiced with dramas centreing around personalities, institutions and even economic and political contexts in the main grower countries. The species’ attractions have led to inevitable overreaches, but it has survived various setbacks and biotic alarms to be the utility softwood of choice almost wherever it does well in many important regions. Somewhat paradoxically, its enlistment for ‘industrial-scale’ wood production has already led to important environmental benefits with the promise of far more to come.

Chapter Summaries

PrefaceThis traces the prompting of the book and the history of the writing. It then outlines the scope of the book, stating what is covered and what is not, referencing practice and the editorial approach.

Chapter 1. ... IntroductionThe concept of domestication is enunciated as a combination of genetic improvement and intensified management inputs, in the context of historic crises of wood supplies and ecological meltdowns resulting from destruction of forests. The domestication of radiata pine is previewed in terms of its adoption as an exotic forest plantation crop, and the development of land races in response to natural and semi-natural selection pressures in adoptive environments, followed by intensive breeding and intensified management practices. The political and institutional environments are outlined for these developments to occur. Finally, its extent and significance as a domesticated crop are outlined.

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Chapter 2. … To 1900The natural occurrence, habitats and early human influences on radiata pine are described. Botanical recognition and initial cultivation as an exotic led to its planting in various countries, with many spectacular successes, initially in arboreta and gardens, leading on to greatly increased plantings for shelter, fuelwood and eventually timber production. Very rapid growth, ease of seed collection, amenability to nursery culture and transplanting, and tolerance of a wide range of soils and exposure all contributed to a booming popularity as an exotic. While tried alongside many other exotic species, radiata pine very often stood out for these attributes. The introduction, the political and institutional contexts, the dispersal and increasing popularity, and the early steps taken towards active domestication are all reviewed for the main present-day grower countries, New Zealand, Chile, Australia, Spain and South Africa, which are very predominantly in the Southern Hemisphere despite radiata pine’s origin as a Northern Hemisphere species. In South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Spain the initial introductions were around the mid-19 th Century, but introduction to Chile only came in the mid-1880s.

Chapter 3. … 1901−1950The early impetus for large-scale plantation forestry in radiata pine’s grower countries came mostly from either an outright shortage of wood supplies or concern over dwindling areas of native timbers. Up to World War I, planting of radiata pine was often on a tentative scale, but enthusiasm for its potential was gathering, mainly among some individuals who became highly influential. Largely in response to concerns over future timber supplies, New Zealand made a very bold commitment to radiata pine after 1921, through both state and private investment, leading to a planting boom around 1925–1935. In South Africa and parts of Australia longer-standing timber shortages often drove plantings to a greater extent. In Chile, an important driver was the undesirable narrow reliance on copper for exports, helping prompt the state to encourage private plantings and starting a planting boom from around 1940, almost entirely with radiata pine. The global scale of planting meant some overreach in regard to the nature of sites on which radiata pine was planted. In some cases, acute nutrient deficiencies became identified and were corrected, and there were some short-term biotic alarms. For processing the wood, state involvement in pioneering developments occurred in Australia and New Zealand. There was also preliminary awareness of the potential for genetic improvement.

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Chapter 4. … 1951−1968From the early 1950s there was a widespread movement towards intensive genetic improvement of forest trees. This was largely based on the Scandinavian School which emphasised a combination of very intensive field selection followed by establishing clonal seed orchards in which the very best

individuals could effectively interpollinate. Progeny testing was another key plank of the breeding programs. Efficient, ongoing genetic improvement of forest trees, however, needs to be based on a firm grasp of key principles of quantitative genetics; these are reviewed. Australia, New Zealand and South Africa embraced genetic improvement of radiata pine early on, in a big learning process. Meanwhile, there were large expansions of wood processing. Afforestation with radiata pine began to accelerate in New Zealand, Australia and Spain. It continued in Chile, where major

wood processing operations were being planned. Meanwhile research proceeded on management practices, and especially on the economics of alternative tending regimes. A major biotic alarm, the global spread of Dothistroma needle blight, essentially passed in the main grower countries, although in some other parts of the world it eliminated radiata pine as a crop.

Chapter 5. … 1969−1983New planting of radiata pine accelerated in Australia, New Zealand and Spain, and continued in Chile where major expansion of wood processing facilities also occurred. Genetic improvement was being achieved with seed orchards coming on stream with improved seed. However, the importance of orchard siting was becoming clear, as were various refinements of orchard management. A realisation that long-term breeding was likely to require much larger breeding populations was acted upon with radiata pine in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This formed part of developing tree breeding strategy as a means of ensuring long-term as well a short-term genetic gains in the face of biological and market uncertainties. A strategic move by Australia and New Zealand was a major new seed collection in native stands of radiata pine, for genetic trials and gene-resource plantings. Meanwhile, Chile became seriously involved in tree breeding. Tending regimes were revised, especially in New Zealand where radically new thinning and pruning schedules were aimed at improving economic returns. An associated development included agroforestry regimes for the species. Refinements in nursery practice and crop establishment were achieved, giving improved performance in the field and for capitalising on genetic improvement. New propagation systems were researched and developed for delivering genetic gains to commercial crops, but mass clonal culture remained problematic. Genetic improvement was often visually dramatic, with enhanced growth rates and much better tree form already allowing reduced stockings. Special trials were established for quantifying improvement.

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Harvesting cones in seed orchard 1968

Chapter 6. … 1984−1997Institutional changes, especially in New Zealand and Australia, have affected both rates of new planting and tree breeding organisations. Experience with new tending regimes, mainly in New Zealand, brought some major rethinking in both silviculture and breeding of radiata pine. Reduced harvest ages and enhanced site fertility played major roles in exposing wood properties as needing greater genetic improvement. This shift in emphasis towards wood properties, however, extended beyond New Zealand. Improving assay technologies and better understanding of what wood properties are economically important have helped in achieving much greater emphasis on genetic improvement of wood properties. Advances continued in knowledge of variation and inheritance, involving an expanded range of traits, notably wood properties. These provided a better basis for structuring breeding programmes, for setting realistic breeding goals and for genetic selection. Advances in propagation technology created new options and greater efficiency for delivering genetic gain. Some progress was made towards delivering gain through mass propagation of specific clones, but this was limited by the phenomenon of maturation. Breeding operations continued into advanced generations. Genetic gains were demonstrated and characterised, while new certification systems were devised as assurances of genetic gains. Early steps were taken towards harnessing DNA technology for genetic improvement.

Chapter 7. … 1998−present ….Major institutional changes, some involving changes in forest ownership, have impinged in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. These changes, some international economic events, some biotic alarms, an international focus on short-fibre pulp and mismanagement of carbon credits have contributed to wildly fluctuating rates of planting radiata pine. On the technical front, some changes have come in growing regimes, and decision-aid software has proliferated for forest growing and harvesting. Delivery systems for genetic gain have continued to evolve, although fully clonal forestry systems have proved difficult to achieve. Breeding goals for radiata pine have continued to evolve; these have involved an increasing focus on wood properties and underpinning research on those properties, and revisiting selection for disease resistance in the face of some new biotic alarms. Knowledge of variation and inheritance continued to advance. Concerns arose over continued availability of the full natural variability, but led to limited action on genetic

resources. Breeding programmes in Australia and New Zealand became increasingly independent of research organisations. Breeding strategies have continued to evolve. Research on DNA technology for achieving genetic gain has intensified.

Chapter 8. … In RetrospectWhere and why radiata pine has succeeded are reviewed, as are the various drivers of its domestication in different countries, and the problematic nature of commercial forestry as a business model. The evolution of the forest management systems used is reviewed, as are the achievements and evolving role of genetic improvement in the domestication. Needs for improving wood properties, accentuated by a context of changing forest-growing practices, have posed special

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Trees from a breeding program at harvest 2018

Photo: Steve Thomas

challenges, but advances in wood technology and improved assays are helping to meet the challenges. Advances in vegetative propagation technology have allowed big advances in systems for delivering genetic gain. DNA technology has proven an important tool for quality control, but its potential for otherwise delivering genetic gain in radiata pine has still to be strongly realised. Institutional structures and forest ownership have been important influences. Despite some problems, radiata pine has already played important roles in economic and environmental sustainability.

Chapter 9. … The FutureDespite the achievements, the nature and extent of the incompleteness of the domestication process are stated. The future role is considered in the contexts of: likely land availability for forest plantations; increasing pressures on conservation estates; climatic changes and potential for carbon sequestration; prospective biotic threats; competing species for use as forest plantations; new technology for growing, monitoring and harvesting; and foreseeable trends in markets. Prospective advances in the methodology and technologies for tree breeding are reviewed, along with foreseeable shifts in the role of genetic improvement. The potential impacts of continuing advances in DNA technology and propagation technology in achieving genetic improvement are considered, along with the scope for refinement of clonal systems for commercial crops. Other influences are changing patterns of forest ownership and continuing institutional changes, with associated challenges. A summary of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats is offered for the future of radiata pine as a commercial crop.

THE AUTHORSAll three authors have had long and distinguished careers in research, substantially involving radiata pine, dating back well over 50 years. All began with forestry qualifications before getting into research.

Rowland BurdonA long-time research scientist at the New Zealand Forest Research Institute (now " Scion"). A main thread of his work has been studying the quantitative genetics of radiata pine, which has involved him in almost all aspects of the species' biology. Other threads of his work have included tree breeding strategy, quantitative breeding methodology, gene resource management, risk management and integration of molecular biology with field-based breeding. He has served on editorial panels of international journals, and has co-authored or edited three books and has written numerous book chapters, plus

many other publications. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand from 1992 and of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry from 2006.

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Bill LibbyEmeritus Professor of forestry and genetics, University of California, Berkeley. As well as a prominent teaching role he has had major involvement in the genetics, propagation science, gene conservation and ecology of radiata pine. Among his many international consultancies was nearly 10 years' half-year, post-retirement engagement in New Zealand in charge of a programme of clonal testing and deployment of radiata pine. He has been a widely-sought lecturer and conference speaker. He received the Francis H Raymond award in 2008 for outstanding

contributions to California forestry, and is a Fellow of the Society of American Foresters. He has co-authored/edited four books along with many other publications. Over nearly 20 years he has been a top figure in the Save the Redwoods League.

Alan BrownMember of the Australian Order of Merit, is a past Chief of CSIRO Division of Forestry in Canberra. His early research involved genetics, breeding and silviculture of radiata pine, and then he spent six years lecturing on silviculture and wood science at the Australian Forestry School in Canberra. Subsequently, in senior CSIRO roles, he maintained active leadership in these fields, including strong support for the gene conservation of radiata pine. He also has served on boards of various national and international research organisations. Since official retirement he has been active in authoring or editing

numerous books, including conference proceedings, as well as journal production. He is Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and of the Institute of Foresters of Australia.

REVIEWS

Extract from Review by John A HelmsJournal of Forestry, Vol. 117, Issue 2 (March 2019), p. 184(Permission by courtesy of Society of American Foresters)

“Domestication of Radiata Pine, with authors from New Zealand, California, and Australia, is a truly remarkable and important book. …………….. The story is one that all persons interested in the science, management and conservation of forests would benefit from reading. It is an engaging integration of soils, pests, silviculture, biometrics, genetics,

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management, economics, conservation and policy. I also recommend the book to decision-makers, members of the general public, conservation groups, and all those who are concerned about the welfare of society in relation to the positive role of managing plantations for sustainable wood production.”

Extract from Review by Harry X WuAustralian Forestry, Vol. 82, Issue 1 (March 2019), pp. 48-51(Permission by courtesy of editor)

Radiata pine has been an outstanding conifer species for genetic improvement and silviculture manipulation since World War II in the southern hemisphere. The success of radiata pine domestication is an excellent textbook example for reforestation and plantation forestry and is meticulously documented in this large and monumental monograph. ……. I recommend this book to plantation forest practitioners, including policy makers, plantation managers, tree breeders and silviculturists, and particularly to practitioners who are engaging in domestication of other conifers, who will benefit enormously from the knowledge presented in this remarkable book.

CORRECTIONS TO BOOK “DOMESTICATION OF RADIATA PINE”Spine. Insert first initials of each of the authors, namely R, W and A respectivelyP. xiii, para. 3, line 13. Add the name “Fred Kruger”Pp. xxvi and p. 154, caption of Fig. 4.8. For “elected” read “selected”P. 16, last line. For “Box” read “Table”P. 22, line 3. For “Bannister;” read “Bannister and”P. 24, para. 1, line3. For “pine” read “genus Pinus”P. 51, para. 4, line 5. After “Pinus” insert “radiata” P. 57, para. 1, line 3. For “1960s” read “1860s”P. 81, para. 2, line 11. For “to prior” read “prior to”P. 86, para. 1, line 3. After “parts” insert “of”P. 91, Table 3.1, last row, column 2. For “7,020” read “70,200”P. 94, para. 1, line 2. After “during” insert “the”P. 96, para. 2, line 9. Move footnote superscript “1” to after “Wason”P. 114, para. 2, line 12. After “into” insert “the”P. 115, para. 2, line 3. After “variation” insert “in”P. 116, para. 1, end of penultimate line. Insert “of”P. 120, para. 2, line 15. After “systems” insert full stop P. 131, para. 1, line 3. After “pine” insert full stopP. 132, para. 2, line 4. For “crediting” read “credited”P. 133, para. 3, last line. Append to sentence “for almost all wood”P. 136, para. 3, line 3. For “lowly” read “slowly”P. 142, Box 4.1, line 4. For “with” read “from”P. 144, Figure 4.5, caption, line 6. For “AC/BC” read “AC/AB”P. 147, para. 2, last line. After “….sible” insert “to”P. 147, para. 3, line 6. For “been” read “being”P. 149, para. 2, numbered point 3, line 5. After “ortetG” insert “)”P. 153, para. 4, line 5. After “in” delete “the”P. 154, caption of Fig. 4.8. For “elected” read “selected”

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P. 154, last line. After “California” replace comma with semicolonP. 155, Fig. 4.9 caption, line 2. For “archive” read “archives”P. 168, Fig. 4.16 (map). For “Chrischurch” read “Christchurch”P. 171, para. 2, line 5. After “traits” insert “. Therefore”P. 175, para. 2, line 1. For “(1962a)” read “et al. (1962)”P. 177, Ahuja and Libby, line 2. After opening parenthesis insert “13 chapters ”P. 177, “Bannister MH (1962a)”. Read “Bannister MH (1962)”P. 177, Bannister MH (1962b). Delete referenceP. 182–254, even page numbers, running head. Append “1969−1983”P. 183, para. 3, line 3. After “underpinned” insert “by”P. 190, para. 2, line 4. Delete “bring”P. 190, para. 4, line 5. For “seeds” read “cones”; and after “and” insert “seeds”P. 190, line 5. For “Libby” read “WJL”P. 202, Fig. 5.10 caption. Second sentence to read “The trees on the left are severely ….”P. 224, para. 2, line 1. For “tress” read “trees”P. 230, para. 2, line 11. After “effects” insert “of”P. 233, para. 2, line 10. For “populations” read “population”P. 235, para. 3, line 5. For “a only” read “only a”P. 244, para. 3, line 6. After “1973” insert “)”P. 245, para. 5, line 1. For “tree” read “trees”P. 252, Eldridge (1978). After “California 1978” delete dashP. 252, Johnson and Burdon (1990). For “on” read “in”P. 253, Matheson and Willocks (1976). After “in” insert “a”P. 255, Wu et al. (2007). For “on” read “in”P. 261, last para., line 5. After “generation” insert “using”P. 262, para. 3, line 9. For “forest” read “forests”P. 262, para. 4, line 6. After “Advanced” insert “Forest”P 262, para. 4, line 8. For “1992−1996” read “1993–1999”P. 263, para. 2, line 5. For “University” read “Universidad”P. 270, para. 1, line 1. After “strongly” insert “on”P. 275, para. 1, line 2. After “Advanced” insert “Forest”P. 283, para. 1, line 2. For “that same” read “a similar”P. 284, para. 2, line 4. Delete one “that”P. 302, para. 2, line 7. For “of’ meadow” read “of ‘meadow”P. 305, para. 1, line 6. For “additionally” read “at first”P. 309, para. 1, line 19. For “Figs” read “Fig.”, and delete “4.18 and”P. 311, para. 3, line 4. Delete “with”P. 312, para. 1, line 9. For “simultaneous” read “simultaneously”P. 312, para. 3, line 6. For “cf Sects 6.10.1, ” read “cf Sect. ”P. 313, para. 3, line 9. After “degraded” delete “by”P. 316, para. 2, line 4. For “sublining” read “sublining G”P. 316, para. 3, line 6. For “unven” read “uneven”P. 318, first bullet point, line 1. For “Fig. 5.21” read “Fig. 5.20”P. 320, para. 4, line 6. After “Cotterill” insert “(1984)”P. 326, para. 4, line 9. Delete “other”P. 333, Vincent (1987). For “zealand” read “Zealand”P. 334. Wu et al. (2007). For “on” read “in”P. 338, para. 3, line 3. After “plantation” insert “was one”P. 342, para. 4, line 4. “wood-properties” to be two separate wordsP. 343, para. 2, line 1. After “Biotechnology” insert “at”P. 343, para. 2, line 6. For “1992−1996” read “1993–1999”

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P. 346, para. 4, last line. Insert “on” at beginning of lineP. 355, para. 3, line 4. “Carbon liabilities” to be in double instead of single inverted commasP. 361, para 2, line 4. For “46: 1” read “46 : 1”P. 361, para. 2, line 5. For “14: 1” read “14 : 1”P. 381, last para., line 2. For “off” read “of”P. 383, para. 3, line 8. Delete “being”P. 395, Wu et al. (2007). For “on” read “in”P. 440, para. 4, line 1. After “relating” insert “to”P. 452, Pinus patula. Insert under Taxonomic authority “Schiede ex Schltdl & Cham.”P. 452, Leptospermum scoparium. Insert under Taxonomic authority “J.R. Forst. & G. Forst.”

Glossary (pp 453−464) Elite – Insert at start “(i)”Land race – Delete “1.1”After “Multiclonal variety” Insert new definition:

“Mutation (i) Substitution of one or more contiguous bases in a DNA sequence (point mutation)(ii) Also including chromosomal insertions and deletions (collectively, indels)(iii) Base substitution(s) or indel having some phenotypic effect(s)”

Standard deviation – Delete “[”

Note: The convention adopted in the Corrections (above) is to use double inverted commas for direct quotes and single inverted commas for colloquial or jargon usage.

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