Molecular Markers in the Management and Improvement of Forest Genetic Resources

Forest genetic resources (FGR) is a vital component of global biodiversity and is integral to maintaining healthy and resilient forest ecosystems. Conservation and sustainable management of FGR are crucial for addressing various environmental challenges, ensuring the availability of resources for future generations, and supporting the well-being of both human and non-human communities. Molecular markers are playing a crucial role in forest genetic resource conservation and management by enabling the assessment of genetic diversity, facilitating breeding and trait mapping, and guiding conservation strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of FGR biodiversity. They also provide insights into population structure, and relationships among plant species or varieties and thus aiding in conservation initiatives to be successful. However, it’s also important to acknowledge that cost and technical expertise needed for molecular/genomic analysis may pose limitations, especially for small-scale initiatives and regions with limited resources. Furthermore, genomic information is sparse in the majority of tropical forest species. In this chapter, we have reviewed types of molecular markers, their applications in FGR conservation, constraints, and road ahead.