Biotech Eucalyptus can sustainably address society’s need for wood: the example of freeze tolerant Eucalyptus in the southeastern U.S

Background Eucalyptus species are among the fastest growing woody plants in the world and represent about 8% of all planted forests (~18 million hectares) grown in 90 countries [1]. Only a limited number of species are grown commercially, and these have been the focus of extensive breeding to improve desirable wood properties such as basic density, cellulose content, fiber length and improved growth. Improved Eucalyptus varieties grown in managed plantations as a source of timber and pulpwood have provided socio-economic benefits for both small and large land owners. Eucalyptus also provides a cost-effective source of lignocelluloses for the production of energy and advanced biofuels. However, the large scale plantings of the most productive Eucalyptus species in the Southeast U.S. are currently limited to regions of central and southern Florida where no hard freezes occur in winter. Plantings of hardwood species to support the traditional forest industry in the Southeastern U.S. are infrequent due to slow growth rates and high plantation establishment and management costs. The biotech Freeze Tolerant Eucalyptus would provide an economically viable plantation hardwood for the Southeastern U.S.