Use of innovative prectices and new technology in the production of wide variety and high quality forestry seedlings in order to enhance regeneration success and increase biodiversity
2012
Radoglou, K. (Forest Research Institute, Thessaloniki (Greece))
A high priority for Greek Forest nurseries is cost-effective regeneration efforts in order to enhance forest biodiversity and sustainability. Nonetheless, overcoming transplanting stress in Mediterranean forest ecosystems is a great challenge. Adverse growth conditions in semi-arid environments, such as intense droughts, substantially decrease regeneration success. Nurseries aim to produce the best seedlings that have the potential to overcome transplanting stress and successfully grow on a site. The main aim of this project is the introduction of new technology based on pre-cultivation protocols in mini-plugs in order to serve large-scale production of forest regeneration material for a wide range of species. Specifically, 26 species will be studied and initially their germination and growth protocols will be determined. This will help understand the physiology of each species, and consequently increase seedling quality and quantity through the integration of this new technology. Both morphological (e.g. seedlings height) and physiological (e.g. root to shoot ratio) variables will help determine the best growth conditions (e.g.. use of a specific soil substrate) for each species in order to achieve the best seedling quality. This combined with the increased seeding production that mini-plus can achieve should help maximize both the quantity and the quality of the seedlings. Furthermore, these seedlings will be studied under field conditions at three highly disturbed sites that had been burned in the past. The use of this new technology will allow a large scale production of seedlings that until now was unreachable through the use of the conventional techniques. The new technology, in conjunction with increased number of different forestry species will result to increased biodiversity levels that lead to more sustainable ecosystems.
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