The Teak Genome, 1st ed. 2021 Compendium of Plant Genomes Series

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of knowledge on teak biology, ecology, clonal forestry, clonal registration, seed biology, and seed orchards. The teak genetic diversity, the sequenced genome, and transcriptomes from different tissues and their implications in modern tree improvement and material selection have been comprehensively discussed. The book also presents a narrative on wood characterization, wood chemistry, modern silviculture, growth and modelling, and economics of this valued tropical species. Altogether, the book contains about 200 pages over 16 chapters authored by globally reputed experts on the relevant field in this tropical tree. This book is useful to students, teachers, and scientists, and wood-based industries are interested in forestry, biology, seed orchards, breeding, genetic diversity, molecular genetics, in vitro culture, wood chemistry, and structural and functional genomics.

Dr. Yasodha Ramasamy is experienced in forest biotechnology for 30 years and is presently working as a senior scientist at Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore. She has expertise in tree tissue culture, clonal propagation, DNA markers, QTL mapping, and association genetics.  Her research on micropropagation of bamboos, eucalypts and teak has been translated to field reality in the form of on-farm trials and large-scale adoption. She has substantially contributed in molecular characterization for clones, hybrids, and natural populations of eucalypts, teak, acacia, red sanders, and casuarina with various DNA marker systems for genetic diversity assessment, hybrid purity testing, and clonal DNA fingerprinting. Her research results were published in more than 40 international journals and book chapters. She has published the draft genome of teak by implementing a hybrid assembly strategy to integrate the short and long-read data. The genome assembly data was characterized to categorize the various groups of repeat elements and genes that encode proteins involved in the durability of teak which paved way for functional genomic analysis. SSRs variations across teak samples were identified, which served as genotypic markers for tree improvement and teak genetic resource conservation programs. She has guided several students for their doctoral research and post-graduate thesis dissertations. She has been awarded for research excellence in forest biotechnology and honored with national and international fellowships. Her current area of research includes SNP-based genetic linkage map development in tropical eucalypts and population genome analyses in teak toward deciphering genome-wide associations for climate adaptation.

Presents comprehensive information on classical genetics, molecular genetics, genetic diversity, breeding, clonal forestry, and wood properties in teak; a tree used for timber because of its high durability, strength, stability, attractive color, and resistance to pests and diseases

Enumerates on characterized genes from the genome and transcriptome useful for molecular breeding

Enumerates on whole genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and functional genomics

Deliberates on important teak wood compounds, their properties, and relevance for the market