China has initially established a breeding technology system for resin-producing pines

Recently, the resin-producing Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii) breeding technology system jointly built by the Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, the Guangxi Academy of Forestry Sciences and the Fujian Academy of Forestry Sciences passed an on-site review by the Department of Science and Technology of the State Forestry Administration, marking that China has initially established a breeding technology system for resin-producing pines.

At present, the project has completed the genetic consolidation of existing superior clone lines of resin-producing Masson pine and slash pine, extensively screened superior trees of the two resin-producing pine species in Guangxi, Fujian and Jiangxi, collected and preserved 511 superior tree germplasm entries, and established 3 breeding populations of resin-producing Masson pine and 1 breeding population of resin-producing slash pine in Guangxi, Fujian and Zhejiang. The project team selected 28 new lines with early fast growth and high resin yield, with resin yield increased by 31.64%-169.73%, and screened 52 new hybrid germplasm entries.

The research also found that resin components can be used for early identification of high-resin-yield varieties. The research group newly built 265 mu of clonal seed orchards of resin-producing Masson pine and slash pine, 14 mu of cutting orchards, and 620 mu of experimental demonstration forests, preliminarily proposed seed orchard high-yield management techniques such as stem truncation and dwarfing and genetic management, and achieved a breakthrough in efficient cutting-based clonal propagation technology for resin-producing pines. The project results provide important technical support for the construction of raw material forests for resin-producing pines and the development of the rosin and pine resin industry in China.