Molecular genetics: Trees' genes and traits link up.

The article presents a commentary on the study "Association genetics in Pinus taeda L. II. Carbon isotope discrimination," by S. C. González-Martínez and colleagues. According to the author, the paper provides partly an answer to the query about the strong clinical and ecotypic variation in the growth traits of forest trees since the first genetic markers became available. The researchers, accordingly, show how two particular nucleotide changes influence drought tolerance in pines.