Improving the Efficiency of Multipurpose Forest Management of Depleted Peatlands

A more complete involvement and effective use of non-timber forest resources is one of the most pressing problems in the development of the forest complex of the Russian Federation within the framework of ensuring multi-purpose, rational and sustainable forest management. The creation of forest berry plantations will resolve the issue of biological reclamation of depleted peatlands, as well as increase the productivity of wild berries and the biological diversity of unused forest lands. The work is aimed at studying the prospects of using clonal micropropagation as the most effective way of producing high-quality cultivar planting material of forest berry plants for laying out plantations on reclaimed depleted peatlands. The paper presents the results of research on clonal micropropagation of forest berry plants – half highbush blueberry and swamp cranberry of promising cultivars and hybrid forms, as well as their adaptation to the conditions of depleted peat deposits. The data on the formation of microshoots and roots of blueberry and cranberry plants on Woody Plant Medium (WPM) using growth-regulating substances are presented. The maximum total length of microshoots was observed in half highbush blueberry (23.7 cm) at the cytokinin 2-iP concentration of 3.0 mg/L, and in swamp cranberry (22.7 cm) at the 2-iP concentration of 0.5 mg/L at the stage of proper micropropagation. The maximum total length of roots of half highbush blueberry (12.1 cm) and swamp cranberry (51.7 cm) was observed at the IAA auxin concentration of 1.0 mg/L at the stage of rooting in vitro. The data on plant survival rate in non-sterile conditions in vivo depending on the composition of the substrate and in natural conditions on depleted peatlands are presented. The highest survival rate of blueberry plants was observed on the substrate of transitional peat and sphagnum (95–98 %), cranberry – on the substrate of highmoor peat and sphagnum (100 %) at the stage of adaptation to non-sterile conditions in vivo. The survival rate of plants of half highbush blueberry and swamp cranberry reached 100 % in the conditions of depleted peatlands. Clonal micropropagation is the most effective way to obtain high-quality healthy planting material of forest berry plants for the rapid propagation of promising cultivars and hybrid forms and its further use in the creation of plantations in order to reclaim depleted peatlands within the framework of the organization of multipurpose forest management.