CFGRP Overview
The Cooperative Forest Genetics Research Program (CFGRP), founded in 1953, includes the University of Florida, IFAS, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, forest industrial and state agencies as cooperators. Our mission is to develop genetically-improved varieties of southern pines for our cooperative members. We also provide technical assistance, research support and educational resources needed to make sound genetic decisions for management of timberlands. Through faster growth and greater disease resistance, new improved varieties of slash pine can yield 40-55% more usable wood at harvest than unimproved varieties.
In the CFGRP, the University of Florida personnel provide strategic planning, technical, and research support and data analysis. Each cooperator helps direct research; establishes, maintains and measures genetics tests; and conducts breeding on their timberlands. This cooperative effort benefits both the University of Florida scientists and cooperators through: 1) leveraging funding; 2) sustaining long-term research; 3) improving technology transfer between the University of Florida scientists and cooperators; and 4) fostering research cooperation.
Over the years, our research focus has changed and evolved to meet the needs of each cooperator and to take advantage of new technology. In the early years, most research was applied in nature and aimed at solving problems with direct bearing on the implementation of a tree improvement program. For example, flowering biology for breeding, improved grafting techniques and genetic control of important traits (i.e., growth and disease resistance). Today, research is broader and includes quantitative, physiological and stand-level genetics. Some summary of the CFGRP program is listed below:
- Established in 1953 to create improved southern pines for reforestation
- Through the years CFGRP members have installed more than 2,000 field trials with over 2,000,000 trees
- Over the past 10 years the CFGRP’s funding has totaled more than $3.7 million dollars, has help educate 16 graduate students and has published over 80 peer reviewed papers
- The CFGRP is in the 1st cycle of breeding & testing for longleaf pine, 1st cycle of breeding & testing for sand pine, 3rd cycle of breeding & testing for loblolly pine and 4th cycle of breeding & testing for slash pine
- An estimated 99% of southern pine seedlings planted in Florida were developed by the CFGRP program
- CFGRP members produce over 600 million genetically improved seedlings each year
- The cumulative net present value of the CFGRP to Florida landowners (stumpage only) is estimated to be more than $550 million over planting unimproved seedlings
Recent Research
Number | Initiated | Contact | Title |
P-31 | 1991 | D. Huber | Developing a breeding strategy for advanced-generation slash pine (FSBP) |
P-57 | 2007 | G. Powell | Advanced-generation Florida loblolly pine clone bank |
P-58, 63 | 1996, 2000 | G. Powell | Base-line slash pine seed orchards |
P-72 | 2003 | D. Huber | CFGRP 3rd cycle slash pine breeding and testing |
P-73 | 2003 | G. Powell | CFGRP Elite Hybrid Selections |
P-75 | 2005 | D. Huber | Pitch canker screening for CFGRP slash pine |
P-76 | 2006 | P. Munoz | Introgression of loblolly pine alleles into slash pine |
P-77 | 2006 | D. Huber | CFGRP 2nd cycle Florida loblolly pine selection, breeding and testing program |
P-78 | 2007 | D. Huber | Conifer Translational Genomics Network |
P-79 | 2010 | G. Powell | 2011 CFGRP clone bank on the Austin Cary Memorial Forest |
P-80 | 2011 | S. Gezan | 2011 CFGRP database management system |
P-81 | 2011 | P. Munoz | Genomic relationship matrix for the estimation of dominance effects |
P-82 | 2011 | M. Kirst | Microsatellite fingerprinting of southern pine |
CFGRP Scientists
Matias Kirst
Co-Director
Quantitative Genetics and Genomics
Gary Peter
Co-Director
Plant Molecular, Cellular Biology
and Wood Quality
Gregory Powell
Co-Director
Administration,
Program and Data Manager
Salvador Gezan
Quantitative Genetics / Biometrics
Dudley Huber
Quantitative Genetics, Early Selection and Tree Improvement of Southern Pines
John Davis
Forest Biotechnology
and Molecular Biology
Eric Jokela
Silviculture and
Forest Nutrition
Tim Martin
Tree Physiology
Jason Smith
Forest Pathology
Present CFGRP Students
Lazarus Mramba - PhD Student
Improved genetic predictions that combine phenotypic and molecular data
Marcio Resende - PhD Student
Phenotype predictions using genetic and transcriptome data
Jianxing Zhang - PhD Student
Analysis of CFGRP full-sib blick plots and PINEMAP: loblolly pine provenance studies.
Past CFGRP Students: 1990 - 2012
Patricio Munoz - MS, 2009
Phenotypic analysis of first-year traits in a pseudo-backcross (slash x loblolly) x slash and the open-pollinated families of the pure species progenitors
Liliana Parisi - MS, 2006
Shoot elongation patterns and genetic control of second year height growth in Pinus taeda L. using clonally replicated trials
Alex Medina Perez - MS, 2005
Top-grafting to increase flower production for breeding pines
Salvador Gezan - PhD, 2005
Experimental design and analysis of complex field experiments
Rodrigo Vergara - MS 2003
Realized genetic gains from two generations of breeding slash pine
Ryan Atwood - MS, 2001
Genetic analysis of wood properties in slash pine
CFGRP Membership Policy
Adopted June 1, 2006
By unanimous vote of the CFGRP advisory council
CFGRP Full Membership
Benefits
- Full access to CFGRP genetic material (obtained through the cooperative effort), breeding values, research data and results (except as noted for new members in section below).
- Full voting privilege on CFGRP policy and research issues.
- Tree improvement technical assistance.
- Attend CFGRP annual meeting and receive all publications.
- In-house data analysis by CFGRP staff (reasonable amount as determine by the CFGRP Director(s)).
Commitments
- Active participation in CFGRP selection, breeding and testing.
- Collaborates and contributes to CFGRP research projects.
Assessments
- Assessed CFGRP annual membership fee which is determined by vote of the CFGRP Advisory Council Members.
- New member’s special projects as determined by mutual agreement
- New members entrance fees as determined as follows:
- 5 X annual membership fee for immediate access to genetic material and breeding values
- 4 X annual membership fee for access to genetic material and breeding values after 1 year of full membership
- 3 X annual membership fee for access to genetic material and breeding values after 2 years of full membership
- 2 X annual membership fee for access to genetic material and breeding values after 3 years of full membership
- 1 X annual membership fee for access to genetic material and breeding values after 4 years of full membership
- New member entrance fee is waived after 5 years of full membership
Admission
- Admission of new members will not be arbitrarily withheld.
- Potential full membership requires recommendation by the Director(s) and/or Advisory Committee.
CFGRP Associate Membership
Benefits
- Access to CFGRP research data excluding breeding values and the data that can be used to calculate breeding values.
- Full voting privilege on CFGRP research issues.
- Tree improvement technical assistance.
- Attend CFGRP annual meeting and receive publications except for breeding values associated with families or parent and the data used to generate breeding values.
Commitments
- Collaborates and contributes to CFGRP research projects.
Assessments
- Assessed CFGRP annual membership fee.
- New member’s special project to be determined by mutual agreement.
- No new member entrance fee.
Admission
- Admission of new members will not be arbitrarily withheld.
- Potential associate membership requires recommendation by the Director(s) and/or Advisory Committee; and
- Must show willingness and ability to cooperate fully in the research project as required by the CFGRP staff.
Forest Resources
General Resources. Download Adobe Acrobate Reader to view the pdfs on this website.
- Conifer Translational Genomics Network
- Florida Forestry Association
- Florida Forestry Information
- Forest Biotechnology
- Forest Genomics
- Loblolly Pine Genome Project
- NCSU Tree Improvement Program
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation
- Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference
- Western Gulf Tree Improvement Program