Value-added products from forest biotechnology

The three major components of forest biotechnology addressed in this paper are asexual propagation, genomics and genetic engineering (GE). Forest biotechnology offers potential that cannot be realized from conventional breeding because of the long life of forest trees and because of the long time required to make genetic gains through tree improvement programs. Most of the biotechnology research in forest trees has concentrated on genetically variable traits that give a relative quick return on investment: growth, form, insect, disease and herbicide resistance, and wood properties. In the long run, other modified traits should have greater value than is obtained solely from timber management. At the tree or forest level, some of those traits will address carbon sequestration, bioenergy, bioremediation, biopulping and species restoration. At the gene level within a tree, the types of potential gains will include pharmaceuticals, resins, latexes, oils, flavonoids, and foodstuff, inclusive of increased fruit quantity and quality and the sugars and starches embedded in the cell walls. With the advent of nanotechnology, trees of the future will be dissected to form every wood product that is now commercially available and, in addition, a multitude of new products will appear.