Highlights of 2007-2008

• We published the second PNWTIRC Report on the Wood Quality Study entitled “Genetic variation in direct and indirect measures of wood stiffness in coastal Douglas‑fir.” A manuscript was submitted to the Canadian Journal of Forest Research.
• We estimated genetic gains in bending stiffness (MOEbl) of 8.6% to 12.3%. Relative efficiencies (REs), the relative gains in MOEbl expected from indirect selection for correlated traits, were 78% to 93% for traits measured with the log acoustic tool (HM200), 57% to 58% for traits measured with the standing-tree acoustic tool (ST300), 38% for the basic wood density of basal discs (Denbd), and 98% for the oven -dry density of logs estimated from the lumber (Denol). The HM200 is an efficient tool for improving MOEbl, but gains will be lower using the ST300 on standing trees. Indirect selection on Denbd should be used with caution because the RE was low and Denbd was negatively correlated with growth (‑0.49 to ‑0.73).
• In the Miniaturized Seed Orchard Study, we continued the pruning treatments and collected flowering data in the spring of 2008 at Roseburg Forest Product’s Vaughn seed orchard in Lebanon. The timing of pruning seems to influence the numbers of female and male flowers in relation to the volume of the crown. Seed orchard maintenance continued at the other orchards.
• PNWTIRC personnel completed two journal articles and reports (i.e., published or in press) and gave four presentations (see Appendices 1-2).
• We co-organized three technology transfer events: Annual Meeting of the Center for Advanced Forestry Systems, Wood Quality Research Workshop, and the Conifer Translational Genomics Network Workshop.

Full Report (pdf)