Research have deciphered for the first time the genetic code of a tree, which could lead to new varieties betting at producing wood, paper and fuel, AP, said in a report.
Currently, the black cottonwood is still considered “wild,” even though its grown for lumber and pulp. Fifteen years from now, fully domesticated varieties of the tree, optimally tuned to grow faster and longer, better resist insects and disease and require less water and nutrients, could be growing like any other crop on tree farms spread across large regions of the united states, researchers, said. To create such poplars, researchers first must hunt among the trees more than 45,500 genes to understand how they control its growth doing so can allow later tinkering, including selective breeding and genetic manipulation to bring out desirable traits.

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
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