The Forest Molecular Genetics (FMG) Programme hosted an eight-day training workshop on R statistics, quantitative genetics and genomic selection from 25 July to 3 August in Hilton in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The workshop was hosted in collaboration with Mondi, Sappi and the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) with invited presenters Prof. Fikret Isik from the North Carolina State University and Dr. Juan Acosta of Camcore. Twenty-seven tree breeders and forest scientists from South African forestry companies participated, including Mondi, Sappi, York Timbers, Merensky, Komatiland Forests, MTO Forestry and NCT Forestry Co-operative.

The training workshop was supported by the Forestry Sector Innovation Fund (FSIF) and Forestry South Africa (FSA) through the Eucalyptus and Pine Genome Diversity and Molecular Breeding Project under the leadership of Prof. Zander Myburg in the Department of Genetics and FABI.