Application of novel methods in genetic evaluation using advanced phenotyping

Ing. Daniel Provazník

Disertační práce

Abstract:

This thesis investigates the application of novel methods in genetic evaluation by integrating advanced phenotyping with quantitative genetic approaches in forest trees. Focusing on Pinus sylvestris L., Fagus sylvatica L., and Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., it examines the genetic variation and adaptive significance of key functional traits, including phenology, growth and structural traits, photosynthetic and stress-related physiological traits, and spectral reflectance. A multi-experiment framework was established, combining material from seed orchards and provenance trials, some of which included family structure or clonal structure enhanced by SNP-based genomic data. The resulting datasets were analyzed using linear mixed models to estimate heritability and genetic correlations across traits, sites, and years. The findings revealed strong genetic control of phenological traits, while growth and water-use traits exhibit moderate heritability with pronounced site dependence. A central innovation of this work was the use of hyperspectral reflectance as a high-throughput, non-destructive proxy for physiological and structural variation. Reflectance in the visible and red-edge regions exhibited high heritability and temporal stability, whereas near- and shortwave-infrared regions captured environment-driven variation. Automated imaging methods, including a newly developed bud-counting macro, further enhanced the efficiency and consistency of phenotyping. By integrating multiple sources of phenotypic and genetic relationship information, these studies enhance the accuracy of genetic parameter estimation, enabling earlier and more reliable detection of adaptive signals. The methodological framework developed here establishes an effective link between growth, physiological, and adaptive traits in forest tree populations. This approach provides valuable tools to accelerate breeding for climate resilience, supporting a transition from traditional production-focused strategies to modern, adaptive tree improvement programs designed for a rapidly changing environment.

Keywords

genetic evaluation, forest phenotyping, hyperspectral reflectance, genetic correlations, genotype-by-environment interactions

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 18. 11. 2025

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: doc. Ing. Jan Stejskal, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Dana Holá, externi, Ulrik Braüner Nielsen, Eng., B.E., externi

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta lesnická a dřevařská

Doktorský studijní program:
Biologie lesa