The invention relates to application of a populus trichocarpa PtrbHLH186 
gene in regulation and control of secondary 
xylem development of trees, and belongs to the technical field of 
gene engineering. In order to solve the problems that the need for wood quantity and quality is increased day by day and the biological function of the PtrbHLH186 
transcription factor is unknown, a PtrbHLH186 overexpressed populus trichocarpa transgenic 
plant is obtained through an 
agrobacterium-mediated populus trichocarpa genetic transformation 
system, and then a series of technical means are utilized for analysis and discovery that the PtrbHLH186 overexpressed populus trichocarpa transgenic 
plant is found to have the advantages that the PtrbHLH186 overexpressed populus trichocarpa transgenic 
plant; the overexpression of the PtrbHLH186 
transcription factor affects the growth and development of plants and the formation of wood, which is mainly embodied in that the 
lignin synthase 
gene is regulated by the gene to affect the deposition of 
lignin in the 
secondary cell wall of a tree, so that the morphological structure and distribution of 
xylem cells are changed; the results show that the PtrbHLH186 
transcription factor has a certain regulation effect on the development of the secondary 
xylem of the tree. The research content provided by the invention has important theoretical guiding significance for cultivating new varieties of high-quality woods and forests.