Genome researchers tackle mountain pine beetle

Genome British Columbia and Genome Alberta are providing $4 million for an initial two-year study into the mountain pine beetle, the fungal pathogen it carries and pine trees. Led by Dr Joerg Bohlmann (Univ of British Columbia) and Dr Janice Cooke (Univ of Alberta), the project is expected to expand after the first phase with an additional $10 million budget. The work is a logical extension of Genome BC's Forestry Genomics Research Projects, which have received $25 million to date. The mountain pine beetle has already destroyed 13 million hectares in BC and has jumped the Rocky Mountains to Alberta where 1.5 million trees have been damaged....