In 2025, the Norwegian Research Council funded the OakBreed project aimed at developing a breeding program for Quercus robur (pedunculate oak) and Q. petraea (sessile oak) in Norway. This is a multi-institution collaboration, which SLU and Skogforsk in Sweden are part of. In the context of this project, a reference genome will be assembled for each species using HiFi long reads together with Omni-C technology, a SNP array will be developed to help in high throughput genotyping for breeding, and 200 individuals from each species will be re-sequenced for population and comparative studies. SNP arrays are a powerful genotyping tool that enable high-throughput screening for thousands of SNPs across the genome. Compared to traditional methods like SSRs or whole-genome sequencing, SNP arrays are cost-effective for large-scale studies, highly accurate, reproducible, and customizable to target specific genomic regions. Moreover, SNP array data are manageable, requiring minimal bioinformatics expertise, and are highly applicable to operational breeding programs. No SNP array exists for pedunculate or sessile oaks, despite intense research into oak population genomics by various European teams. Once developed, the SNP array will allow breeders in the Nordics and other countries to efficiently study genetic diversity and track genomic relationships among trees. As phenotypic data accumulate, it will help identify key loci linked to traits like growth, wood quality, disease resistance, precocity, seed quality, and climate adaptability. This will enable breeders to make more informed decisions on advancing specific trees in breeding programs, ensuring high-quality material for future forestry needs.