Cloning by rooted cuttings from individuals with low adventitious root-forming capacity depends on multiple factors such as light exposure during cutting development and immersion time in indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) solution. This study evaluated the effects of stock plant etiolation on total soluble sugars concentration and endogenous growth regulators profile, and its combined effect with exogenous IBA application on rooting capacity of Pinus patula cuttings. Early morpho-anatomical changes related to root formation were also assessed. A first trial evaluated immersion time of cuttings (0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 240 s) in a 5000 ppm IBA liquid solution. Afterwards, the combined effect of stock plant etiolation (0, 3, and 6 days) with IBA application (0 and 120 s immersion) was tested. Cuttings were rooted under controlled conditions (20-24 degrees C and 85-100 % relative humidity) for twelve weeks. Variables measured included the percentage of live cuttings, callus formation, rooted cuttings, number of primary roots, length of the longest root, average primary root length, and percentage of rooted cuttings with secondary roots. Both trials showed over 98 % survival. IBA-immersion for 120 s achieved 83.6 % rooted cuttings. In the second trial, six-day etiolation with IBA-application produced the highest rooting (64.4 %) with more and longer primary roots, and 70.7 % secondary root presence. Etiolation reduced sugar content and increased endogenous auxin levels in cuttings compared to non-etiolated ones. Changes in soluble sugars and growth regulators due to etiolation enhanced root formation. Controlling these parameters provides an operational protocol for efficient cloning of Pinus patula.
Acacia mangium x A. auriculiformis hybrids are widely deployed in tropical plantation forestry due to their rapid growth and versatile wood properties. This study evaluated growth, stem form, and wood properties in a clonal trial of 40 Acacia hybrid clones established at Ba Vi, northern Vietnam, with the objectives of quantifying clonal variation, estimating clonal-mean broad-sense heritability, examining relationships among traits, and identifying superior clones for potential deployment. The trial was assessed at age five using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Growth traits (diameter at breast height and total height), stem form traits (stem straightness and branch size), and wood properties (basic wood density and dynamic modulus of elasticity, MoEd) were analysed using linear mixed-effects models with spatially correlated residuals. Significant clonal variation was detected for all traits. Clonal-mean heritability was moderate for height (H-2 = 0.36 +/- 0.06) and basic wood density (H-2 = 0.25 +/- 0.06), and lower for MoEd (H-2 = 0.16 +/- 0.05) and stem form traits. Genetic correlations indicated a strong positive association between height and diameter (rg = 0.90 +/- 0.03) and moderate negative correlations between growth traits and basic wood density, indicating a trade-off between rapid growth and denser wood. Several clones outperformed certified control clones for stem volume while maintaining acceptable wood properties and survival, demonstrating substantial scope for phenotypic clonal selection and deployment of Acacia hybrids under Vietnamese plantation conditions.
Weakened forest stands provide a favorable environment for the development of saprotrophic and necrotrophic fungi. Traditional identification methods for these ecological groups of fungi are not always effective. However, modern DNA barcoding methods based on sequencing DNA regions of the studied fungal specimens and comparing them with the nucleotide sequences of previously classified organisms often allow for precise species identification. Thus, to identify fungi using barcoding in weakened Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in the Central Forest-Steppe of European Russia (Voronezh, Voronezh Region), 55 mycelium and fruiting body samples were collected from conifer litter and Scots pine damaged butt part of the trunk and roots. After morphological and ecological description and systematization of the collection, DNA extraction was successfully performed, and the ITS1 and ITS2 regions were sequenced in 14 samples. Among them 11 taxa were identified - six at species and five at genus levels, including species Trichaptum fuscoviolaceum (Ehrenb.) Donk, Gymnopilus penetrans (Fr.) Murrill, and Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Pat. that infect living wood. The remaining eight representatives of the mycobiota were saprotrophic fungi involved in the mineralization of organic residues. Two phyla, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, were identified, with the most samples belonging to Basidiomycota and the class Agaricomycetes with seven orders. The DNA barcoding method complements the results of morphological and ecological analysis.
In advanced seed orchards, factors such as shared clone origins and uneven planting densities heighten the chances of inbreeding. The RISE tool advances beyond traditional minimum-inbreeding and quadratic assignment frameworks by incorporating comprehensive coancestry data, gap-filling for plant losses, variable clone counts, and dynamic features like distance graphs and selectable clone emphasis in an online environment. This research describes an innovative browseraccessible program that creates efficient orchard arrangements for practical forest management, employing a preliminary placement strategy paired with a streamlined annealing process to reduce the inbreeding indicator, d_min. The system accommodates custom grid setups, the number of clones, clonal replicates, and sibling links, producing arrangements through spreadsheet exports and engaging visual displays. Relative to arbitrary configurations, the program yields notably reduced d_min levels (an indicator of mating hazards). It provides statistical analysis of the resulting orchard, such as paired t-test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Levene's test, validating improvements across cases. It can handle complex pedigrees and co-ancestry estimates from marker based genomic studies. The tool suits forestry practitioners, delivering an effective option for orchards of diverse scales. The program's architecture, approach, and forestry applications are explored, underscoring its role in advancing orchard oversight.
The Neolamarckia Bosser genus consists of two species: Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser and Neolamarckia macrophylla (Roxb.) Bosser, which are highly valued for industrial and medicinal applications in South Asian countries. The two species are sympatric and share several important characteristics in growth, wood quality, phytochemicals, and secondary meta-bolites. N. cadamba has been extensively utilized while N. macrophylla is rarely exploited. This article provides an overview of these two species from various aspects, specifically emphasizing their genetic relationships. Based on the organelle genomes, a single gene linked to cellulose synthesis, and molecular markers, the interspecific variation was initially analyzed, revealing a close genetic relationship between the two species. These results highlight the potential for cross-species research and pave the way for further exploration. Their evolutionary divergence and taxonomic positions within the Rubiaceae family require further clarification through nuclear genomes. Both species exhibited a moderate level of genetic diversity within populations in terms of nucleotide diversity per site with nrDNA ITS markers (pi=0.1185 +/- 0.0242) for N. cadamba or heterozygosity with SSR markers (0.05 similar to 0.29) for N. macrophylla. While population genetic structure assayed with molecular markers was generally low in N. cadamba (Fst approximate to 3 % in China), it could be high in N. macrophylla (Phi_st approximate to 55 % in Indonesia). Quantitative genetic differentiation in wood traits was small among provenances of N. cadamba but remains to be investigated in N. macrophylla. The two species potentially have similar wood properties and low heritability of wood traits. Molecular studies on wood traits in both species are limited, emphasizing the significance and urgency of future research on genetic improvement of wood traits for industrial purposes, prompting action and making progress in this area.
