Plant & Animal Genomes XIV Conference

January 14-18, 2006
Town & Country Convention Center
San Diego, CA

Association Genetics For Adaptive Traits In Douglas-Fir

Barnaly Pande¹ , Konstantin, V. Krutovsky² , Kathleen, D. Jermstad³ , Glenn T. Glenn T. Howe⁴ , J. Bradley St. Clair⁵ , Nicholas C. Wheeler⁶ , David Neale¹

¹  Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

²  Department of Forest Science, Texas A&M University, 2135 TAMU, College Station, TX

³  USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Institute of Forest Genetics, Davis / Placerville, CA, USA

⁴  Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR , USA

⁵  USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR, USA

⁶  Molecular Tree Breeding Services LLC, Centralia, WA, USA

We are using candidate gene-based association genetics to understand the relationship between allelic variation and phenotypic variation in adaptive traits in Douglas-fir. Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) displays considerable adaptive genetic diversity along its natural range, which extends from British Columbia into Mexico, and from the Pacific coast to the eastern slopes of the Rockies. Variation in genes conferring tolerance to cold and drought stress, and in genes controlling the timing of growth may in part be responsible for adaptation to these diverse environments. Candidate genes have been sequenced in 24 megagametophyte (haploid) samples from trees growing in Washington and Oregon and estimates have been made of nucleotide diversity and the extent of linkage disequilibrium. Test of neutrality have also been conducted. This data will be used to select SNPs for use in association tests with data from spring bud flush and cold-hardiness studies conducted previously.