S. Lev-yadun et R. Sederoff, Pines as model gymnosperms to study evolution, wood formation, and perennial growth, J PL GR REG, 19(3), 2000, pp. 290-305
Pines provide a model system for the gymnosperms, an old and successful gro
up of vascular plants that last shared a common ancestor with the angiosper
ms about 285 million years ago. Gymnosperms are distinct from angiosperms i
n their reproduction, development, metabolism, adaptations, and evolution.
Pines cover vast areas of the globe, are one of the most important genera o
f forest trees, dominate the ecology of many temperate and subtropical fore
st ecosystems, and provide a major fraction of the world's wood. Here, we s
ummarize many features of pine that make it a useful model for gymnosperms
and woody plants. We also describe the influence of its reproductive system
on methods for genetic analysis and the prospects for genomic studies and
genetic engineering. Pines are limited as model systems by their long gener
ation times, large size, large genomes, and the long time from fertilizatio
n to seed set.