Postdoctoral Fellow
Forest genetics and tree breeding
Phone: +61 2 6125 2361
Fax: + 61 (0)2 6125 0746
E-mail: dominic.kain@anu.edu.au

Dominic completed a BSc (Forestry) with honours at the Australian National University in 1997. His honours research investigated the quantitative genetics of wood characteristics, and early selection, in Pinus radiata. His PhD research, at ANU and North Carolina State University, USA, examined the genetics of wood and growth traits in the Pinus elliottii x Pinus caribaea hybrid, in collaboration with the Queensland Forestry Research Institute. Dominic completed his PhD in early 2003, and was a geneticist with the CRC for Sustainable Production Forestry in Hobart, based at the ANU, until late 2003. He is now a Postdoctoral Fellow supported by the Australian Council for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR).

Professional Activities

My research interest is in all aspects of the genetic improvement of trees, with a focus on breeding and selection strategies for inter-specific hybrids, and the genetic improvement of wood quality. Developing breeding objectives, integrating quantitative and molecular genetic selection technologies, and breeding eucalypts that tolerate dry and saline conditions are other topics I am working on collaboratively or developing research proposals to address.

Currently, my main activity is within an ACIAR-funded collaborative research project involving ANU, the CSIRO and its South African equivalent, the CSIR. The project aims to develop high performance eucalypts and eucalypt hybrids for marginal lands in south and eastern South Africa and southeastern Australia. Eucalypt hybrids, for example E.grandis x E. camaldulensis, often outperform both parental species in environments intermediate between those typical of the parents. My role in the project is to analyse data from eucalypt hybrid trials in South Africa - possibly the most extensive set of eucalypt hybrid trials in the world - to develop knowledge of the genetic mechanisms underlying hybrid performance. We are using this knowledge to develop efficient selection strategies for future improvement of the most promising species combinations.

I also supervise two postgraduate students in tree breeding, contribute to teaching courses in forest genetics at ANU and at the CSIR, South Africa, and present at conferences in the fields of quantitative genetics, wood quality improvement and hybrid breeding.

Selected Publications

Kain, D., Dieters, M.J., Harding, K.J., and Li, B. 2005. Genetic parameters for wood quality and growth traits in Pinus elliottii var. elliottii, P. caribaea var. hondurensis, and their F1 hybrid. Canadian Journal of Forest Research (submitted).

Kain, D.P., Harding, K.J., Dieters, M.J. and Li, B. 2005. Early selection and rapid field screening for genetic improvement of wood density and spiral grain in pines. Canadian Journal of Forest Research (submitted).

Kain, D.P. 2003. Genetic parameters and improvement strategies for the Pinus elliottii var. elliottii x Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis hybrid in Queensland, Australia. PhD thesis, Australian National University, 460p.

Shepherd, M., Cross, M., Dieters, M.J., Harding, K., Kain, D. and Henry, R. 2003. Genetics of physical wood properties and early growth in a tropical pine hybrid. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 33: 1923-1932.