Background
The Radiata Pine Breeding Company (RPBC), whose shareholders include major forest growing companies in New Zealand and Australia, has been working to genetically improve radiata pine since the late 1980s. Improved plants and trait rating information are made available to forest growers outside the RPBC via the GF Plus scheme which was established in 1998 to replace the old GF rating system.
Breeders of genetically improved radiata seeds and plants (germplasm) apply to the Seed Certification Service for GF Plus certification. A GF Plus Seed Certificate is subsequently issued for each seedlot, based on the parents and proportions that constitute the seedlot. This certificate provides a GF Plus rating for each trait included in the scheme, provided there is enough information available from field trials to reliably calculate the rating. Where insufficient information is available to calculate a rating a hyphen (-) is shown on the GF Plus Seed Certificate.
The genetic makeup of improved germplasm sold under the GF Plus scheme, the GF Plus trademark and all information used in the testing and certification of improved seedlots, is owned by the RPBC. For use of the improved germplasm and associated GF Plus trait rating information, nursery customers pay a royalty at time of purchase, via the nursery grower, to the RPBC. These royalties are used to help fund on-going research into radiata pine genetic improvement.
A GF Plus Seed Certificate showing trait rating information is available from the nursery grower for each control-pollinated (CP) seedlot purchased. CP seedlots can be certified under GF Plus as both the improved male and female parents used to produce the seedlot can be identified. In the case of open-pollinated (OP) seedlots, no GF Plus seed certificate is issued as only the improved female parent can be identified with certainty. A GF rating is still available for OP seedlots. In recognition of this, the royalty paid on OP plants is less than that paid on CP plants.
Technical Information
The RPBC is producing a series of information bulletins that provide technical information relating to the scheme. To date bulletins are available that cover:
Further information bulletins are currently being produced. For hard copies of these bulletins or further information relating to the GF Plus scheme please contact the Scheme Administrator on 0800 00 GFPLUS. |
Technical Committee 
