Research programme and methods
Our breeding programme is selecting superior trees that produce high quality, durable timber. The younger we can identify superior trees, the faster we can make significant genetic improvement in wood properties
The key wood properties of interest in the NZDFI programme are:
Measuring wood properties is laborious, but a successful tree breeding programmes must rely on assessing large numbers of trees. To overcome this, we have developed techniques to quickly and reliably measure wood properties in young trees. This enables us to select superior trees early in tree breeding programmes, speeding up the selection cycle.
Research updates: timber properties, utilisation and markets
More information on timber properties, utilisation and markets is available in our Guidelines for Growers section.
Two key potential markets for our strong, durable timbers are posts and poles for vineyards and other primary production markets, and laminated veneer lumber (LVL).
Check out our Resources, especially our six-monthly Project Updates, to read about how research has progressed over time.
Presentations on wood quality topics from two recent workshops are also available:
Our latest Wood Quality Research Plan is available here (March 2017).