{"id":38817,"date":"2017-10-25T13:22:37","date_gmt":"2017-10-25T17:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/?p=38817"},"modified":"2021-07-20T09:18:28","modified_gmt":"2021-07-20T13:18:28","slug":"boosting-lumber-industry-by-making-trees-resistant-to-stress-and-drought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/boosting-lumber-industry-by-making-trees-resistant-to-stress-and-drought\/","title":{"rendered":"Boosting lumber industry by making trees resistant to stress and drought"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It\u2019s known as the \u201cwood basket\u201d: a highly productive region of forests in the southern U.S. that plays a large role in sustaining the national lumber industry.<\/p>\n

In addition to contributing to a wide range of construction trades, this also includes paper and bioenergy industries and supports ecological benefits that range from environment stabilization to wildlife habitats. Because this region extends through Georgia and has a significant impact on the state\u2019s economy, researchers at the University of Georgia are working to understand trees at a molecular level so they can better predict and mitigate the effects of disease and environmental stress.<\/p>\n

According to CJ Tsai<\/a>, former director of the university\u2019s Plant Center and 2017 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, trees tend to be understudied organisms. But now, Georgia\u2019s researchers are investigating the genetic systems and molecular structures of these species, discovering that the tree genome is more complicated than previously assumed.<\/p>\n

Because trees live so much longer than most crops, Tsai and her team can\u2019t carry out research on multiple generations, which is how scientists use genetics to identify the leading genes for a fixed effect, such as shape and color. But since trees require genes from the male and female parents, she is using the newest genome editing technology to edit both copies to produce a new, genetically modified tree with a fixed mutation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1626456858572{padding-right: 60px !important;padding-left: 60px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”38818″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” el_class=”container”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”38819″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” el_class=”container”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”text-container”]Recently, Tsai and her team were able to use this method to mutate specific genes in deciduous trees, like aspens and cottonwoods, in order to reduce the concentrations of naturally occurring plant polymers.<\/p>\n

This work has critical implications as environmental stressors like floods, droughts and heat waves become more commonplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re beginning to understand the holistic response of trees and crops to stress and how they respond to difficult environments,\u201d says Tsai. \u201cAs a result, we\u2019re able to identify candidate genes that we can target for improvement through traditional breeding or gene-editing technology.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html el_class=”container”]JTNDdmlkZW8lMjB3aWR0aCUzRCUyMjEwMCUyNSUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjEwMCUyNSUyMiUyMGF1dG9wbGF5JTIwbG9vcCUyMG11dGVkJTIwcGxheXNpbmxpbmUlMjBjb250cm9scyUyMHByZWxvYWQlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlM0Nzb3VyY2UlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnJlc2VhcmNoLnVnYS5lZHUlMkZkb2NzJTJGdmlkZW8lMkZUc2FpLUV4cGxhaW5lci5tcDQlMjIlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIydmlkZW8lMkZtcDQlMjIlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZ2aWRlbyUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”text-container”]<\/p>\n

As Tsai and her team continue their study of trees, their research is opening doors to new research opportunities for trees and other crops, looking at the perennial challenges that arise with multiple growing seasons and the different plant mechanisms used for dealing with stress.<\/span><\/p>\n

And since Georgia is home to one of the nation\u2019s best research facilities for the plant sciences, it makes sense that the university is at the vanguard of this research.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re exposed to the wonderful work of plant research, from breeding improvement to genomics, collaborating with other scientists,\u201d says Tsai. \u201cThis results in a strong plant science group, making it one of the best places in the world to conduct plant research.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chung-Jui \u201cCJ\u201d Tsai<\/h3>\n

Winfred N. “Hank” Haynes Professor
\nGeorgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar
\nWarnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
\nDepartment of Genetics
\nFranklin College of Arts & Sciences[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”text-container” css=”.vc_custom_1626456961447{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Help Advance Our Understanding of Plants<\/h2>\n

Donate to The Plant Center<\/p>\n

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