Ove Nilsson Ove Nilsson Ume, Sweden Ume, Sweden Chairman and - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ove Nilsson Ove Nilsson Umeå, Sweden Umeå, Sweden Chairman and Scientific Director of Umeå Chairman and Scientific Director of Umeå Plant Science Centre, SLU Plant Science Centre, SLU

Why Forest Biotechnology ?

Swedish exports and imports of some product groups 2004 Billion SEK 0 40 80 120 160 Forest industry products Cars, car parts Electronic goods,computers Other engineering products Energy goods Iron-ore, iron and steel Pharmaceutical products Exports Other chemical products Imports Dramatically increased pressure on forest production due to: Increase in world’s population (+ 3-4 billion people). These people need wood for heating, paper and construction materials. Conversion from a society based on fossil fuels to a society based on energy and materials derived from renewable sources: wood fibers. Big challenge for forest industry that needs to secure its supply of wood for pulp and paper and construction materials

The Agricultural Development 10 000 years ago Domestication Domestication Breeding Breeding revolution revolution 1995 Management Management Biotech Biotech revolution revolution Today

Traditional breeding has improved our crops tremendously! Corn - Indian corn - Teosinte

MUTANTS WE EAT!

Forestry Lags Behind! 10 000 years ago Domestication Domestication Management Management Breeding Breeding 1995 revolution revolution Biotech Biotech revolution revolution Today

Umeå Plant Science Center A centre of excellence for plant research but also an innovation platform for Swedish forest industry !

An excellent base for comparative biology !

Chailakyan, 1936

2005: The signal molecule controlling flowering found! Huang, T., Böhlenius, H., Eriksson, S., Parçy, F., Nilsson, O. 2005. Science 309: 1694-1696

lowe ring Sig na l ( „ F lorig e n “ ) T he Mole c ula r Ba sis for the F F D Pro te in + F D F T Pro te in CONS T ANS RNA Pro te in F T RNA CONS T ANS Pro te in F T RNA Abe e t al., 2005 Wig g e e t al., 2005 Huang e t al., 2005

The FT gene controls flowering of trees! Böhlenius, H., Huang, T., Charbonnel-Campaa, L., Brunner, A.M., Jansson, S., Strauss, S.H., Nilsson, O. 2006. Science Flowers on 4 week old shoots

Normal flowering time 10-15 years Normal inflorescences formed (4 months)

Normal flowers formed

35S::FT inhibits short day-induced bud set FT WT LD 32 days 64 days SD + 5 days 5 ° C SD

Seasonal regulation of PtFT1 30 ye aro ld Po pulus tre mula g ro wing in Ume å (64 ° N) 21 hrs c ritic al dayle ng th?

The phase of CO mRNA oscillation predicts the critical daylength (21 hrs) (19 hrs) (17 hrs) (15 hrs) Böhlenius, H., Huang, T., Charbonnel-Campaa, L., Brunner, A.M., Jansson, S., Strauss, S.H., Nilsson, O. 2006. Science

Seedling growth and vigour Breeding Basic research Fibre modifications Transgenics Clonal forestry