It takes even longer to scale up production, so all customers have an opportunity to buy the latest genetics. How do we deal with a long development process and generate new products?
We must have a pipeline of new families evaluated and selected for next-level performance. In tree breeding, we must develop a population of trees for the next generation, not just 1 or 2 families. Since 2010 we have field-tested more than 550 families in the southeastern US. We can generate predictions for families, but we use field data to confirm performance for commercial MCP and OP families. These families are used to evaluate and select new MCP and OP families as well as select new trees for the next generation of breeding.
What will the future performance be for next-generation MCP and OP families? At ArborGen, we set a target to achieve improved performance.
Once new families are identified in our pipeline, we begin to scale up seed production of the best families. We also begin breeding the next generation of trees so that by the time we are bringing new families to the market, the next generation is already being bred and field-tested. Tree improvement in the southern pines began in the 1950s, and we are now breeding the 5th generation of loblolly pine. With better tools and technology today, we will continue to generate better-performing families for years to come.
With this pipeline of products from which to choose, your Reforestation Advisor can offer you the best opportunity to maximize the return on your investment. Contact them to find out how our advanced genetic seedlings can improve your bottom line.
