Forest Tree Genetics: Genetic Improvement and Breeding

A Special Issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425) belonging to the section "Plant Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2027 | Viewed by 373

Editors

Forest Ecology and Conservation in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Mt. Emei Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: forest genetics; tree breeding; genetic improvement
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Guest Editor Assistant
College of Forestry, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Interests: forest genetics; tree breeding; genetic improvement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest genetics, tree breeding, and targeted improvement are fundamental to enhancing forest productivity and ecological adaptability. With the increasing global demand for timber, climate change, and forest degradation, tree genetic improvement has gradually expanded from traditional selection for growth and wood properties to the coordinated enhancement of multiple traits, including stress resistance, pest and disease resistance, carbon sequestration, ecological service functions, and multipurpose utilization. Modern forest tree breeding emphasizes the integrated application of genetic resource collection and high-throughput evaluation, new germplasm creation, multi-generation breeding population construction, marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and multi-omics analysis. Elucidating the genetic basis of target traits can improve breeding efficiency, shorten breeding cycles, and enhance the stability and predictability of breeding outcomes. In the post-genomic era, the integration of high-quality genome resources, precise phenotyping, artificial intelligence, and long-term field trials will enable tree genetic improvement to play an increasingly critical role in developing high-quality, highly resistant, high-yielding, and ecologically friendly forest tree varieties, thereby providing important support for forest resource cultivation, scientific utilization, ecological restoration, and the achievement of carbon neutrality goals.

Dr. Hanbo Yang
Guest Editor

Dr. Wenquan Bao
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • forest genetics
  • genetic improvement
  • tree breeding
  • germplasm resources
  • molecular markers
  • genomic selection
  • stress-resistance breeding
  • wood property improvement
  • genetic diversity
  • functional genomics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 3876 KB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification of the Chalcone Synthase Gene Family in Phoebe zhennan and Its Association with Golden-Thread Wood Color Formation and Drought Response
by Kui Yan, Shuai He, Jian Peng, Jianghong Qian, Yunjie Gu, Hongying Guo, Suyuan Zhang, Yulin Wei, Ruiqi Wang, Yu Zhou and Hanbo Yang
Genes 2026, 17(9), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17091027 - 28 Aug 2026
Viewed by 256
Abstract
Chalcone synthase (CHS) is a key enzyme in flavonoid biosynthesis, and its activity strongly influences the efficiency of flavonoid production in plants. By controlling the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, CHS contributes to plant adaptation to diverse environmental stresses. Here, we identified CHS members [...] Read more.
Chalcone synthase (CHS) is a key enzyme in flavonoid biosynthesis, and its activity strongly influences the efficiency of flavonoid production in plants. By controlling the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, CHS contributes to plant adaptation to diverse environmental stresses. Here, we identified CHS members across the Phoebe zhennan genome and systematically examined their gene structures, phylogenetic relationships, and potential roles in golden-thread wood color formation and drought response. Genome-wide screening resolved 11 putatively functional PzCHSs, which were unevenly distributed across six chromosomes. Physicochemical analyses indicated that most PzCHS proteins were hydrophilic. Phylogenetic reconstruction divided the PzCHS family into three groups, whose members generally shared similar gene structures. One tandem duplication event and five segmental duplication events were detected. Synteny analysis revealed extensive collinearity between the CHS families of P. zhennan, Phoebe bournei and Cinnamomum camphora, consistent with their close evolutionary relationships. Promoter regions of PzCHS genes were enriched for phytohormone-responsive and growth-related cis-elements, suggesting roles in development and hormonal regulation. Transcriptome profiling showed that PzCHS6 was upregulated in the transition zone of wood and under drought stress, suggesting that this gene may be associated with both golden-thread wood color formation and drought response. These results provide a framework for functional dissection of the CHS members and offer candidate genes for golden-thread wood color improvement and drought response breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Genetics: Genetic Improvement and Breeding)
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