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Development and implementation of a species identification and timber tracking system in Africa with DNA fingerprints and stable isotopes
Project
Project code: vTI-FG-08-115
Contract period: 01.10.2011
- 31.12.2014
Purpose of research: Applied research
We propose to develop a three years regional project on species identification and timber tracking system with DNA fingerprints and stable isotopes for important timber tree species in the following African countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo Dem. Rep, Congo Rep., Gabon, Ghana and Kenya.
The project will focus primarily on the following three target species chosen by timber producing countries representatives: iroko (Milicia excelsa, M. regia), sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) and ayou (Triplochiton scleroxylon).
For these species we will sample over the distribution area of the species within the seven participating countries leaves or cambium and wood samples from up to 20 trees in each of 50 to 100 locations per species. For the three species we will develop gene markers that show a high genetic differentiation among trees of different locations and work also for processed timber. Then the samples will be screened for DNA fingerprints and stable isotopes and provide in this way a genetic and chemical reference data base to control the country of origin.
Using DNA-fingerprints a tree by tree approach to check the chain of custody will be applied for Ayou and Sapelli in cooperation with timber companies in Ghana and Cameroon.
Moreover for 20 important timber species tools to identify the species will be further developed using a wood anatomical approach and the DNA barcoding. The statistical power and practical performance of the different assignment approaches (species identity, country of origin and chain of custody of individual trees) will be checked by blind tests.
As measures of capacity building and technology transfer three reference labs in West-Africa (Kumasi, Ghana), Central-Africa (Libreville, Gabon) and East-Africa (Nairobi, Kenya) will be established and staff of these labs but also from other African groups will be trained to apply DNA-techniques and wood anatomy to identify the tree species and to perform simple DNA tests to check the origin. This capacity building and the plan to integrate the genetic and chemical reference data bases into the international coordination office for tree identification and origin assignment at Bioversity International in Malaysia will help that the project’s results will be sustained after its completion.
Section overview
Subjects
- Forestry
- Forest genetics
Framework programme
Excutive institution
Participating institutions
- Institute of Wood Research (TI-HF)
- Agroisolab GmbH
- University of Adelaide
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
- The Food and Environment Research Agency
- The Forest Trust, Cameroon Office (TFT)
- Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG)
- Research Institute for Tropical Ecology (IRET)
- Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
