Japanese push ahead on Eucalypt breeding

Via Doug Powell at Agnet

Nippon Paper Industries, University of Tsukuba jointly start salt tolerant eucalyptus outdoor cultivation experiment
November 2, 2005JCN News
Aki Tsukioka
TOKYO - Nippon Paper Industries (NPI) has started an outdoor cultivation experiment with salt tolerant eucalyptus trees in collaboration with the University of Tsukuba. The partners are now growing salt-tolerant eucalyptus trees at the university's Gene
Research Center.
The relevant plant was genetically engineered with choline oxidase (COD), a[n enzyme from the bacterium, ]... Arthrobacter globiformis, using NPI's proprietary genetic technology MAT Vector System. The tree's salt tolerance has been confirmed in the previous greenhouse cultivation, in which the trees were supplied with saltwater of 30% salinity, the same salinity as seawater.
The current experiment, the first one in Japan to grow a genetically-engineered plant outside, will last until the end of 2009. The partners plan to evaluate growing conditions, salt tolerance levels, impacts on the surroundings of the trees. The salt tolerant eucalyptus, which can be raised in dried and salt damaged soil, is expected to be effective in a fight against global warming as it can absorb carbon dioxide emissions.{Choline related compounds protect cells against water stress note, by GMO Pundit}