WITH TRADITIONAL PINE BREEDING, SELECTION OF SUPERIOR PINE VARIETIES FOR PLANTATIONS REQUIRE FIELD TRIALS. THIS TESTING PROCESS CAN TAKE MORE THAN SIX YEARS AND ARE COSTLY DUE TO INTENSIVE SITE PREP AND MANAGEMENT. WE AIM TO USE LARGE NUMBER OF DNA MARKERS TO MAKE THE SELECTION OF SUPERIOR PINE VARIETIES WHEN THEY ARE TINY SEEDLINGS, WITHOUT ESTABLISHING EXPENSIVE AND TIME-CONSUMING FIELD TRIALS. WE ALSO AIM TO DISCOVER DNA MARKERS TO SCREEN SEEDLINGS FOR MAJOR GENES CONFERRING TO FUSIFORM RUST DISEASE, A DEVASTATING PATHOGEN IN PINE. WE WILL ORGANIZE TWO WORKSHOPS TO TRAIN PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS TO IMPLEMENT THESE METHODS IN PINE BREEDING. THE PROJECT RESULTS ARE EXPECTED TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE TRADITIONAL PINE BREEDING PROCESSES, SAVING BOTH TIME AND MONEY. IN THE LONG RUN IT WILL HELP LANDOWNERS TO PLANT SUPERIOR PINE VARIETIES ON THEIR LAND TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR FIBRE, BIOMASS FOR ENERGY AND WOOD.