FP6 - 26076 TREEBREEDEX: a working model network of tree improvement for competitive, multifunctional and sustainable European forestry

Contacts




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Forestry : Life Science and Food Quality : Wood (Lignocellulose)

Type of Project	Coordination Activities
Contract No	FP6 - 26076
Total Cost	3,040 KEuro
EC Contribution	2,800 KEuro
Start Date	1-6-2006
Duration	48 Months

Abstract

Through creation of improved varieties, forest tree breeders have largely participated to the improvement and the sustainability of cultivated forests in Europe. Over decades, they have built up huge collections of trees for most economical species and vast networks of experimental trials. As well, they have continuously developed original methodology in genetics and in related sciences to recombine, test, evaluate, analyse, select and mass-produce forest tree species. All this, together with specific facilities and equipment, represents a unique set of infrastructures based on a biological material particularly original.

Unfortunately, this resource and the teams concerned are scattered all over Europe and do not reach the critical mass for efficiently conducting their activities. In addition, tree breeding R&D activities have become even more complex over years due to new environmental concerns (climatic changes, pressure from natural disaster, allergy), socio-economic pressures (multi-functionality) and development of new technologies (genomics, somatic embryogenesis). Rare are the teams who can now compete alone with these new conditions.

The main aim of this proposal is therefore to create a European Virtual Tree Breeding Centre:

• to foster co-operation and complementarity among teams,
• to enhance the excellence level of R&D activities across Europe,
• to progressively integrate tree improvement research into co-operative programmes activities,
• to open infrastructures to a larger scientific community in forestry and agriculture (ornamentals, fruit trees) but more broadly in biology including pharmacology, medicine.

Networking activities will include website and discussion forums, databases, exchange of expertise and methodology, common protocols, etc. It will allow substantial economy-of-scale and reinforcement of competitiveness and it will serve as a unique link with the forestry wood chain, stakeholders, policy-makers and the public.

Coordinator

INRA centre d'Orléans- Unité Amélioration, Génétique & Physiologie des Arbres Forestiers, France

Partners

• Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Norway
• Statsbetrieb Sachsenforst, Germany
• Technicka Univerzita Vo Zvolene (Technical University Of Zvolen), Slovakia
• Centro de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agroalimentaria de Aragon, Spain
• Association Foret Cellulose, France
• Xunta De Galicia - Conselleria De Medio Ambiente E Desenvolvenmento Sostible, Spain
• Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria, Spain
• National Forest Center , Slovakia
• Stiftelsen Skogsbrukets Forskningsinstitut , Sweden
• Institutul De Cercetari Si Amenajari Silvice Bucuresti, Romania
• Instytut Badawczy Lesnictwa (Forest Research Institute) , Poland
• Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Dendrology , Poland
• Norwegian Forest Research Institute , Norway
• Lithuanian Forest Research Institute , Lithuania
• TEAGASC Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland , IRELAND
• Coillte Teoranta-The Irish Forestry Board, Ireland
• CRA - Consiglio per la ricerca e Sperimentazione in Agricoltura - Istituto Sperimentale per la Selvicoltura, Italy
• Forestry Commission Research Agency, United Kingdom
• Finnish Forest Research Institute, Finland
• The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark
• Staatsbetrieb Sachsenforst, Germany
• Niedersaechsische Forstliche Versuchsanstalt, Germany
• Bundesforschungsanstalt Fuer Forst- Und Holzwirtschaft, Germany
• Forestry and Game Management Research Institute Jiloviste - Strnady, Czech Republic
• Instituut Voor Natuur- En Bosonderzoek, Belgium
• Centre de Recherche de la Forêt et du Bois CRA-W, Belgium
• Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape, Austria
• Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet, Sweden
• ALTERRA B.V., Netherlands

Contacts

Coordinator

• Luc PAQUES / INRA Station d'Amelioration des Arbres Forestiers / FRANCE