Pines: growing commodities or designer trees

SUMMARY Management of radiata pine plantations will benefit from both traditional breeding and genetic engineering programmes. Appropriate strategies might well mirror those adopted in the fresh fruit market of the United States, where the case of tomatoes is examined. An emphasis on wood quality properties would encourage product differentiation. While density has long been advocated, greater benefits are likely to accrue if the microfibril angle is given more prominence. In selecting properties for improvement it may be advisable to prefer those that are hard to manipulate by advances in process technology.