Eucalypt pulp yield QTL from Raiz as compared to the literature

Background RAIZ is a Portuguese private non-profit research institute owned by the Pulp & Paper Portucel Soporcel Group (http://www.raiz-iifp.pt). RAIZ E. globulus genetic improvement program is managed in order to generate trees with increased economic value, through gains in forest productivity and wood properties. Molecular markers have been used for clonal identification and genetic diversity management in the program since 1990. Moreover, RAIZ has been engaged in a longer term genomics project aiming to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for wood properties. The ability to detect QTL depends on sample size, genetic background, environment and genetic interactions. Most importantly, the ability to use detected QTL depends on their adequate map location and the identification of the molecular variation behind them. This in turn is determined by linkage map quality, the choice of phenotypes and the precision of phenotyping. There are many reports in the literature on QTL detection for economically important traits in Eucalyptus, but very few present data on QTL verification (at the statistical and/or biological levels). We illustrate the importance of this issue for pulp yield related traits by comparing available results from QTL mapping studies in the literature with those obtained from a QTL detection and verification experiment pursued by RAIZ.