17 September 2014: An interactive open-access database, called tropiTree, provides detailed information on genetic markers for 24 species of trees, which are important to smallholders in tropical agroforestry systems. Reduced sequencing costs made the development of the genetic markers in the database possible for ‘non-model’ (or genetically under-researched) species.

Ian Dawson, Associate Fellow, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), which was involved in developing the database, said that low cost next-generation sequencing methods enable the design of tools for studying tree genetics cheaply and quickly. The tropiTree database contains more than 5,000 genetic markers per species, a significant increase in available resources for studying most of the trees, which will help scientists who are: studying tree breeding systems; and working to prevent inbreeding depression caused by a lack of genetic diversity. Dawson added that the database can also be used to identify genetic markers in particular regions of interest in the genome, and will increase understanding of how to manage trees in agroforestry systems.

The tree species chosen for the database include nine from Africa, five from Asia or Oceania, nine from Latin America and one with a natural distribution spanning both Africa and Asia. The selected species are now often found growing together in various combinations of indigenous and exotic trees in agricultural landscapes. The species chosen provide a range of products and services to farmers, and include: fruit, timber, gum, fodder, fertilizer, biofuel and medicine.

The James Hutton Institute in Scotland, the World Agroforestry Centre, the Kenya Forestry Research Institute and other partners collaborated on the sequencing work and database development. The tropiTree database is freely available for use. ICRAF is part of the CGIAR consortium. [World Agroforestry Centre Press Release] [tropiTree database]