Two high-throughput techniques for determining wood properties as part of a molecular genetics analysis of hybrid poplar and loblolly pine

Two new high-throughput techniques, computer tomography X-ray densitometry (CT scan) and pyrolysis molecular beam mass spectrometry (pyMBMS), coupled with quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis, were tested as a means to over come the time and cost associated with conventional characterization of bio mass feedstock components. Applications of these two techniques were evalua ted using hybrid poplar for the CT scan and loblolly pine for the pyMBMS. S egregating progeny from hybrid poplar varied in specific gravity, with indi vidual mean estimates ranging from 0.21-0.41. Progeny from loblolly pine va ried in lignin, ex cellulose, and mannan contents, with individual mean est imates of lignin content ranging from 28.7-33.1%, a cellulose content from 28.8-43.5% and mannan content from 4.2-10.1%. QTL analysis of the loblolly pine data suggested that eleven QTLs were associated with individual feedst ock characteristics and that two QTLs for several feedstock components were linked to the same position on the loblolly pine genetic map. Each QTL ind ividually accounted for 7-13% of the total phenotypic variation in associat ed loblolly pine feedstock components.