Background
There is substantial variation of wood properties within a species, both between- and within-trees. Part of this variability is explained by environmental conditions (including both site characteristics and silvicultural management); another part is explained by genetic variability.
Radiata pine is the main commercial plantation forest species in New Zealand. The New Zealand radiata pine breeding programme started in the early 1950s and currently includes growth, tree form, branching characteristics, basic density and wood stiffness in its breeding objective. Wood properties change from pith-to-bark and from the base of trees to their top. These changes appear to be under genetic control. It is possible to reduce rotation age if we can select trees that express better wood properties earlier in their life.
The project
The NZ School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury (UC) is offering a 3-year PhD project to investigate wood quality trajectories in elite breeding material. The project is jointly funded by the NZ School of Forestry and the Radiata Pine Breeding Company (RPBC). The student will work closely with RPBC, which specialises in breeding elite radiata pine germplasm for New Zealand and Australian forest owners. The student will work with a research team led by Professor Luis Apiolaza, Associate Professor Clemens Altaner, Dr Monika Sharma, and Professor Michael Hayes from UC and Dr Mark Paget from RPBC.
The research project will include:
• Gathering data on pith to bark profiles using acoustic tools.
• Developing alternative approaches to characterise physical/chemical wood properties and their variability
• Combining genomic and phenotypic data from the operational NZ Radiata Pine Breeding Company programme (https://www.rpbc.co.nz).
• Explore the effect of environmental factors on the wood quality trajectories for different genotypes.
Supervisors
Primary Supervisor: Luis A Apiolaza
Second Supervisor: Clemens Altaner
Key qualifications and skills
The ideal applicant will have a GPA of 7.0 (A-) or higher, a four-year bachelor degree with
first class honours or a Master’s degree in forestry with a strong quantitative genetics background, or ability to learn quantitative genetics and data analysis in relation to tree breeding. Candidates must have a valid driver’s licence and be willing to undertake both data analysis, programming and lab work.
Does the project come with funding
Yes: Scholarship covering full university fees and a stipend of NZ$34,000 p.a. for three years.
Final date for receiving applications
Ongoing
How to apply
By email to primary supervisor with specified documents
Keywords
wood science; quantitative genetics; breeding;
