Influence of Climate Change on Pest and Disease Problems

As forest geneticists consider physiological adaptations of forest tree populations under various climate change scenarios, they must also take into account likely impacts from new insect pest and disease introductions, as well as increased natural disturbances from native pests. What lessons can be learned from past investments in disease and pest resistance research and genetic improvement, particularly with the challenges of climate change scenarios? Can more generic and general resistance be developed to offset potential new pest and disease problems that will arise within a time frame of less than a decade? The world’s main commercial tree improvement programmes have focused primarily on productivity improvements in the first few generations of breeding, Tree improvement programmes for forest health – can they keep pace with climate changes?