productivity and conservation

In the past two decades, there have been significant advances in seed orchard management, seed science, and tissue culture, offering new opportunities and possibilities to enhance tree breeding and  rapid deployment of improved stock. These advances must be carefully integrated in order to promote forestry practices aimed at sustainable production of wood and fiber balanced with socioeconomic needs, biodiversity, and adaptation to climate change. The objectives of this session are to present recent advances in seed orchard management, seed science and somatic embryogenesis and to integrate them into high-value forestry, genetic resource conservation and environmental restoration programs. The general topics of this session include (1) Tree breeding and seed orchard management, (2) Somatic embryogenesis of trees and its application and (3) Advances in seed physiology and technology.