Canada’s iconic western redcedar (WRC) export industry will be facing a future decline, as the durable and aesthetically appealing timber supply moves from old growth to second growth and faces climate-driven challenges. The CEDaR (Cedar Enhanced Durability and Resistance) project aims to develop genomic selection (GS) statistical models associating genomic and phenotypic variation for multiple traits and to apply GS in the WRC breeding program at a very early age. The goal is to deliver elite selections to industry orchards to produce seed for reforestation.

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