Fourth International Workshop on the Genetics of Host-Parasite Interactions in Forestry
News and Updates
The Proceedings have now been posted online!
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Individual presentations can be viewed on the Agenda page
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Check the Book of Abstracts for more information on all of the talks and posters
Proceedings
Sniezko, Richard A.; Yanchuk, Alvin D.; Kliejunas, John T.; Palmieri, Katharine M.; Alexander, Janice M.; Frankel, Susan J., tech. coords. 2012. Proceedings of the fourth international workshop on the genetics of host-parasite interactions in forestry: Disease and insect resistance in forest trees. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-240. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 372 p.
Access the full report at the Forest Service website here: http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr240/
Title: Proceedings of the fourth international workshop on the genetics of host-parasite interactions in forestry: Disease and insect resistance in forest trees.
Authors: Sniezko, Richard A.; Yanchuk, Alvin D.; Kliejunas, John T.; Palmieri, Katharine M.; Alexander, Janice M.; Frankel, Susan J., tech. coords.
Description: The Fourth International Workshop on the Genetics of Host-Parasite Interactions in Forestry: Disease and Insect Resistance in Forest Trees provided a forum for research and management options and successes which have occurred over the last 30 years (the previous workshop was held in 1980 in Wageningen, The Netherlands). Eighty-eight submissions from oral and poster presentations at the 2011 workshop held in Eugene, Oregon provide a worldwide, comprehensive update on many aspects of research and operational programs on genetic resistance to forest insects and diseases. Topics of concern to natural forest systems and intensively managed forests are discussed, including resistance mechanisms, durability of resistance, ecology and evolutionary biology of resistance and tolerance, pathogen evolution, molecular tools, short-term screening assays for resistance and status of several applied forest tree resistance programs.
Date: 2012
Source: Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-240. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
July 31 - August 5, 2011
Valley River Inn
Eugene, Oregon, USA
Native and non-native pathogens, insects and animals continue to negatively impact forest ecosystems and plantations worldwide. Climate change will alter host-damage agent relationships and may increase detrimental impacts from many biotic agents. Genetic resistance within tree species is a key element to maintaining forest health. Utilizing genetic resistance is one of the few management options available to combat the impacts of insects, animals and pathogens. Resistance programs, including resistance breeding, will be vital as they increase the efficiency in utilizing genetic variation to maintain or restore forest health when mortality becomes unacceptably high.
Resistance research and breeding has been underway in some forest tree species for over 50 years. An informal survey completed in 2008 provides a snapshot of the level of activity in pest resistant breeding around the world. A review (Sniezko 2006, Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 28: S270–S279) provides a partial update on four programs in the United States. Yanchuk & Allard 2009 discuss tree improvement programs for forest health in the presence of climate change (Yanchuk & Allard 2009, Unasylva 231/232 Vol. 60: 50-56). With climate change and continued invasion by non-native pathogens and insects, the contributions of resistance breeding to forests and ecosystems in the future are needed more than ever.
The purpose of this workshop is to advance progress in genetic resistance programs by fostering collaboration between scientific and management communities from throughout the world.
Key past meetings:
Breeding Pest-Resistant Trees (1964). University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
Biology of Rust Resistance in Forest Trees (1969). Moscow, Idaho, USA.
Resistance to Diseases and Pests in Forest Trees (1980). Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Breeding Insect and Disease Resistant Forest Trees (1982). Eugene, Oregon, USA.
Mechanisms and Deployment of Resistance in Trees to Insects (2000). Iguassu Falls, Brazil.