Search Results (250)

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) are among the most valuable tree species in the Lithuanian forests. Pure stands, which comprise approximately one-quarter of Lithuania’s forest area, provide an important framework for studying tree responses to thinning and susceptibility to species-specific diseases and damage. This study investigated stem health and quality in two experimental Scots pine stands (32 and 39 years old) and four experimental Norway spruce stands (36–43 years old) to assess the influence of the initial stand density and thinning intensity. Each stand consisted of five plots with different initial densities and was subjected to varying thinning regimes from stand establishment. Tree locations were mapped using the pseudolite-based positioning system TerraHärp, and local tree density was calculated. Stem health and damage were assessed using ICP-Forests methodology. Our results showed that across initial densities of 1000–4400 trees ha⁻¹, tree dimensions (diameter and height) were similar, regardless of thinning intensity. The highest levels of stem damage and competition-induced mortality occurred in the densest, unthinned stands, with deer browsing and scraping from fallen trees being the most common damage agents. In contrast, thinned stands exhibited a higher incidence of stem rot (Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref.), particularly for Norway spruce. Finally, stand density alone did not consistently explain the patterns of tree mortality in either the pine or spruce stands. These findings suggest that cultivating Scots pine and Norway spruce at lower initial densities with minimal thinning may reduce the damage and losses caused by fungal infection. Finally, novel techniques, such as the pseudolite-based positioning system for geolocating trees and drone imaging for assessing tree health, have proven valuable in facilitating field surveys. Full article

This study assessed the combined application of poultry manure (Pm), biochar (B), and coenzyme A (CoA) into soils to enhance Moringa oleifera Lam. growth, biomass yield, and nutritional and phytochemical composition. This approach allowed us to cover the gap of knowledge on sustainable, low-cost agronomic management alternatives suitable for smallholder systems. To achieve this objective a field experiment was conducted using three treatments (control (no amendment), Pm + B, and Pm + B + CoA) and four consecutive harvests were monitored. Morphological traits (height, stem diameter, number of branches, and leaf yield) were recorded, and phytochemical analyses of glucosinolates and (poly)phenols were performed via HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn. Mineral and trace elements were quantified by ICP-OES. The main results retrieved allowed describing the capacity of the combined use of Pm + B + CoA to enhance plant growth and productivity, thus increasing the moringa trees’ height of 226.3 by 39.5%, on average, relative to control plants. ILeaf yield and branch number augmented up to 7.0-fold and 2.5-fold, respectively, under amendment treatments. Petiole girth also increased significantly by >50% (p < 0.01). Phytochemically, Pm + B + CoA significantly elevated total phenolics, vicenin-2, and quercetin acetyl-hexoside in leaves by 2.8-fold, on average, relative to control. The glucosinolate content also augmented as a result of the soil amendments assayed by 51.0%, on average, in stems and petioles, under Pm + B + CoA, compared to control samples. From these results, it can be concluded that the combined use of poultry manure, biochar, and CoA significantly improved M. oleifera growth, biomass yield, and nutritional quality, with a particular efficiency concerning (poly)phenolic accumulation. This low-cost, sustainable amendment strategy provides a viable agronomic solution in regions suffering socioeconomic constraints that hinder access to high-cost agronomic management options. Therefore, this approach effectively links ecological soil management with improved productivity, nutritional value, and potential for food industries. Full article

Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is a leading tropical plantation species valued for high-quality timber and carbon (C) storage. This study assessed stand growth across ages and sites, quantified biomass and C by tree component and stand, and developed DBH-based allometric equations for biomass and C estimation. Six stand ages (5, 6, 9, 11, 14, and 17 years) were assessed in three municipalities of Nayarit, Mexico. Dendrometric inventories in permanent plots and destructive sampling of 35 trees provided calibration data for leaves, branches, stem, and roots. C concentration was determined with an elemental analyzer, and nonlinear regression models were adjusted and validated. Stand biomass and C increased with age, peaking at ages 11–14 (>130 Mg ha⁻¹; >60 Mg C ha⁻¹), with lower values at age 17. San Blas and Rosamorada accumulated significantly more than Tuxpan, reflecting site quality. C concentration was stable across sites and ages, with stem and roots consistently ranging between 48% and 50%, and leaves and branches averaging 45%–46%. Allometric equations were most accurate for stem and total biomass/C (R² = 0.73–0.79), while foliage showed higher variability. On average, 60%–70% of biomass was allocated to the stem and 15%–20% to roots. Indicators were stable, with an aboveground-to-belowground ratio (A:B) ≈ 4.9 and a biomass expansion factor (BEF) ≈ 1.5. The current annual increment (CAI) presented two main peaks: ~20 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ at ages 5–6 and ~11 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ at ages 9–11, followed by a decline after age 14. Teak in western Mexico reaches peak productivity at ages 6–11, with belowground biomass essential for accurate C accounting. Full article

Evaluating sawlog quality is vital for both forest managers and wood processors. While external traits, such as tree form, branch architecture and visible growth features can be evaluated through visual inspection, many key wood quality indicators remain hidden, such as knot type and distribution, or the heartwood-to-sapwood ratio. This highlights the need for technologies capable of “seeing through” logs. Today, X-ray scanners in sawmills enable comprehensive, continuous, non-destructive assessment of internal stem structure at large scale. This study leveraged a newly compiled database of approximately 726,000 scanned logs to characterize variability in knot distribution and sapwood proportion across three major European softwood species and estimate the moisture content. The analysis highlights inter-and intra-species differences. Sapwood proportion decreased with sawlog diameter in spruce and silver fir but remained high in pine. Pine also presented significantly larger and more variable knots. Between March and August, we observed a seasonal trend in sapwood moisture content, affecting fresh density, while heartwood moisture content remained stable. These findings provide valuable information to support decision-making processes, linking tree characteristics to wood qualities and guiding forest management. Full article

Populus species are highly susceptible to wetwood formation, which adversely affects tree growth, timber quality, and wood processing. In this study, 28 aerobic and 7 anaerobic bacterial strains were isolated and purified from I-69 poplar trees infected with wetwood using tissue-based pathogen isolation techniques. Preliminary screening identified three highly pathogenic isolates, including two aerobic strains (AB4 and AB14) and one anaerobic strain (ANAB1), all of which induced wetwood symptoms in 100% of inoculated seedlings with pronounced severity. Through comprehensive characterization, including morphological analysis, physiological–biochemical profiling, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, these strains were taxonomically classified as Pantoea agglomerans (AB4), Escherichia fergusonii (AB14), and Enterobacter hormaechei (ANAB1). These 35 strains were subsequently inoculated into one-year-old healthy poplar seedlings through three distinct methods, including stem injection, root infection, and leaf infection. Experimental results demonstrated that only stem injection successfully induced wetwood symptoms, while root and leaf infection failed to produce pathological manifestations. For stem-inoculated specimens, pathogenicity was evaluated based on three diagnostic parameters, including heartwood discoloration length, pigmentation intensity, and affected tissue area ratio. Significant variability in symptom severity was observed among different bacterial strains. These findings expand the known diversity of bacterial species associated with wetwood development and provide valuable insights for understanding its etiology and for guiding future disease management strategies. Full article

The infestation of boktor (Xystrocera festiva Pascoe) stem borer in Sengon (Falcataria falcata) tree plantations in Indonesia, especially in Java, has caused severe losses by damaging the stems, decreasing wood quality, and potentially leading to mortality. To digest the woods, the X. festiva larvae’s gut has at least two digestive enzymes, which are trypsin and α-amylase. Former studies have shown that F. falcata produces inhibitors of these two enzymes as part of its defense mechanisms. This research aimed to analyze trypsin inhibitor (TI) and α-amylase inhibitor (AAI) transcripts, as well as their expression, in X. festiva-infested and resistant F. falcata trees. We found 19 contigs encoding the TI gene and 29 contigs encoding AAI. The results were able to predict the sequence of the DNA that produced the TI and AAI transcriptomes, which proved that one gene could be expressed differently due to alternative splicing. The DEG analysis and RT-PCR confirmed that mostly the TI and AAI activity was heavily induced by the X. festiva larvae attacks. The expression of the TI gene was upregulated 0.78 times, while the AAI gene expression was upregulated 2.44 times in infested samples. The findings from this study are fundamental in understanding the mechanism of F. falcata resistance against X. festiva infestation and selecting the resistant trees. Full article

Background: Plantago asiatica (P. asiatica) is an important Chinese traditional medicinal plant of the family Plantaginaceae and widely used in pharmaceutical industries. TCP transcription factors play an important role in plant development, but a limited number of studies on this have been reported in P. asiatica.Methods: Since genome assembly was not available, in this study, we used the de novo transcriptome assembly method to genome-wide-characterize the TCP gene family in P. asiatica. Up to 70.7 M high-quality paired-end reads were generated after sequencing and a total of 12 TCP genes were cloned by the predicted bioinformatic results, which were named PaTCP1-12. Results: Phylogenetic tree, motif analysis and subcellular localization results revealed that these PaTCPs were conserved compared to those from the model plant, Arabidopsis. Expression analysis suggested that most of the TCPs were highly expressed in both the leaf and root, while PaTCP1, PaTCP6 and PaTCP9 could also be detected in the seed. Conclusions: Since seed characteristics are one of the main agronomical traits in P. asiatica, the finding of PaTCP1, PaTCP6 and PaTCP9 expression patterns in the stem suggested an important role for further plant improvement. Full article

Potted cultivation serves as a vital strategy for industrialized production of standardized tree peonies, engineering seedlings capable of year-round and off-site transplantation. However, the limited root zone in potted conditions restricts root development, resulting in suboptimal seedling quality and hindering commercial-scale production. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the accumulation characteristics of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) and growth performance in potted tree peonies, while also optimizing the transplantation technologies for potted cultivation. Using two-year-old grafted seedlings of ‘Luoyanghong’ as experimental material, the effects of root pruning, rooting agent, and Metarhizium anisopliae application on morphological development and NSCs accumulation in potted tree peony seedlings were investigated. The results showed that old roots serve as the primary storage organs for NSCs in the potted tree peony. Slight root pruning (25%) was beneficial for fibrous root growth, whereas excessive root pruning (50%) resulted in reduced biomass and NSCs accumulation. The application of a high concentration of rooting agents effectively promoted root growth and mitigated the adverse effects of root pruning. Furthermore, Metarhizium anisopliae significantly increased the stem number in potted tree peonies. The optimal protocol identified through range analysis involved 25% root pruning, followed by irrigation with a solution containing 750 mg·L⁻¹ rooting agent and 20 million spores·mL⁻¹ of Metarhizium anisopliae. The rational distribution of NSCs and coordinated growth across different organs enhanced NSCs accumulation in potted tree peonies. These results demonstrate that combining root pruning with the application of rooting agent and Metarhizium anisopliae can effectively increase NSCs accumulation, optimize plant morphology, and ultimately improve the quality of potted tree peony seedlings. Full article

The Mixed Ombrophyllous Forest (MOF), inserted in the Atlantic Forest biome, is of great ecological value, with deficient management strategies. In this context, sustainable management helps to promote the regeneration and growth of individual trees and control others, while maintaining the natural forest structure. This study therefore aimed to discuss opportunities and limitations of biochar, produced from two species from the MOF, which are currently only utilized to a limited extent in the study area in southern Brazil. A slow pyrolysis process at a lab scale was designed, biochar was produced, and key properties were analyzed from Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (chosen as an invasive species) and Mimosa scabrella Benth. (chosen as a native, fast-growing species), including branches and stems. The results showed that branches of Mimosa scabrella (BMS) had the highest biochar yield (30.32 ± 0.3%) and the highest electrical conductivity (415.08 ± 24.75 mS cm⁻¹). Stems of Mimosa scabrella (SMS) showed the highest higher heating value (HHV—31.76 ± 0.01 MJ kg⁻¹), lower heating value (LHV—31.03 ± 0.01 MJ kg⁻¹), and energy yield (49.1%), while the branches of Hovenia dulcis (BHD) showed the lowest values. For the elemental analysis, SMS showed the best results, with the highest amount of fixed carbon (78.62 ± 0.22%) and carbon content (85.87 ± 0.083%), and consequently the lowest amount of ash (3.52 ± 0.08%). BHD showed a better water-holding capacity (303.26 ± 15.21%) and higher pH value (7.65 ± 0.14). The investigations conducted on the biochar from both species indicate a strong suitability of these woods for producing high-quality biochar. Full article

The advancement of harvester technology increasingly relies on automated forest analysis within machine operational ranges. However, real-world testing remains costly and time-consuming. To address this, we introduced the Tree Classification Framework (TCF), a simulation platform for the cost-effective testing of harvester technologies. TCF accelerates technology development by simulating forest environments and machine operations, leveraging machine-learning and computer vision models. TCF has four components: Synthetic Forest Creation, which generates diverse virtual forests; Point Cloud Generation, which simulates LiDAR scanning; Stem Identification and Classification, which detects and characterises tree stems; and Experimental Evaluation, which assesses algorithm performance under varying conditions. We tested TCF across ten forest scenarios with different tree densities and morphologies, using two-point cloud generation methods: fixed points per stem and LiDAR scanning at three resolutions. Performance was evaluated against ground-truth data using quantitative metrics and heatmaps. TCF bridges the gap between simulation and real-world forestry, enhancing the harvester technology by improving efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability in automated tree assessment. This paper presents a framework built from affordable, standard components for stem identification and classification. TCF enables the systematic testing of classification algorithms against known ground truth under controlled, repeatable conditions. Through diverse evaluations, the framework demonstrates its utility by providing the necessary components, representations, and procedures for reliable stem classification. Full article

Tieguanyin tea, celebrated as one of China’s top ten famous teas, is highly regarded for its unique flavor and taste. However, recent intensification of global warming has escalated the occurrence of abiotic stresses, posing significant threats to the growth, development, yield, and quality of Tieguanyin tea plants. DOF (DNA-binding one zinc finger protein), a plant-specific transcription factor, plays a critical role in plant development and stress response. In this study, we identified and analyzed 58 CsDOF genes across the whole genome, which were found to be randomly and unevenly distributed across 15 chromosomes. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using DOF genes from Arabidopsis thaliana and Tieguanyin, categorizing these genes into 10 subgroups. Collinearity analysis revealed homologous gene pairs between CsDOF and OsDOF(19 pairs), StDOF (101 pairs), and ZmDOF (24 pairs). Cis-acting element analysis indicated that CsDOF genes contain elements related to both stress and hormone responses. Heat map analysis demonstrated that subfamily C2 predominantly regulates the growth and development of roots, stems, and leaves in Tieguanyin. Tertiary structure analysis of CsDOF proteins revealed diverse structures, underscoring the functional variability within the CsDOF gene family. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis was employed to assess the expression profiles of 13 CsDOF genes under high-temperature and drought conditions. Notably, CsDOF51 and CsDOF12 exhibited significant expression changes under drought and high-temperature stress, respectively, while CsDOF44 showed significant changes under both conditions. This study provides foundational knowledge of the CsDOF gene family and offers novel insights for enhancing the drought and heat tolerance of Tieguanyin tea. Full article

Tree peony is well-known for its ornamental value, medicine function, oil, and edible use. However, the difficulty in propagating tree peony impedes its cultivation and industrial advancement. Softwood cutting is an effective method to promote the propagation of tree peony. This research investigated the effects of several factors (cultivar, cutting phenological stage, auxin type, polyamine, and substrate) on the rooting of softwood cutting in tree peony. The results showed that rooting ability varied with cultivars and cutting phenological stages, with the highest rooting rates being for ‘High noon’ and ‘Jinghua Qingxue’ during the vigorous growth stage, reaching 50% and 53.33%, respectively. IBA 2000 mg·L⁻¹ was optimal for rooting in ‘High noon’ cuttings, with the maximum root number (5.67) and root length (6.3 cm). Putrescine of 1.0 mM could significantly improve the rooting rate and rooting quality of ‘Jinghua Qingxue’ cuttings, which had the highest rooting rate of 54.17% in the cocopeat/perlite substrate (v:v 1:1). Anatomical observation showed that most adventitious roots were generated from callus meristem nodules differentiated from cortical parenchyma cells while a few came from stem bark, as well as integrated root induction. This study is an innovation in and supplement to tree peony propagation research, and a propagation protocol was primarily established for softwood cuttings in tree peony. Full article

Over the past years, we experienced more extreme weather conditions during the growing season, April till October, with prolonged droughts. Rain-fed production of high-quality forest trees was possible, but recent droughts proved to have an economic impact on the plant quality. Therefore, the hardy nursery sector demands irrigation thresholds and suitable tools including soil and plant sensors to schedule irrigation based on crop water demand. Two trials were conducted with Acer pseudoplatanus liners (1 + 0) grown in a sandy soil in 2022 and 2023 at Viaverda (Destelbergen, Belgium). A rain-fed treatment was compared with a sprinkler irrigation treatment in both trials. Irrigation doses were evaluated with a soil water balance model, which is based on reference crop evapotranspiration (ET₀), rainfall, and soil hydraulic properties. The soil water balance model was calibrated based on the measurements of soil sensors and soil samples. Simultaneously, stem water potential at solar noon, tree length, and growth were measured. The irrigation treatment had a positive effect on the stem water potential of Acer in both trials with a less negative value, ±0.7 MPa, compared to the rain-fed treatment. Irrigation increased growth with 28.4% in 2022 and 5.8% in 2023 compared to the rain-fed treatment, resulting in trees of higher commercial quality that could even be classified into a superior grading range in 2022. Full article

To address the inefficiency and significant errors in the manual measurement of phenotypic parameters of Phoebe zhennan seedlings, a non-destructive automated method based on a 3D point cloud was proposed for extracting phenotypic parameters of stem and leaves following stem and leaf segmentation. First, the processed point cloud image was aligned using the Sample Consensus Initial Aligment (SAC-IA) and Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithms to generate a three-dimensional model of the seedlings. The stem point cloud was extracted from the model using the median normalized growth vector-based search (MNVG) method, with the current growth vector refined based on previous growth points and vectors. These corrective processes enhanced the accuracy of stem extraction. The leaves were separated from the stem through streamlined projection, after which the remaining leaf point cloud was individually extracted using the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm. The extracted stem data were used to measure stem length and stem diameter, and for each extracted leaf, leaf length, width, and area were measured, yielding accuracies of 97.7%, 93.2%, 96.4%, 88.02%, and 85.84%, respectively. The results of this study provide a valuable reference for forest breeding and the cultivation of high-quality tree seedlings. Full article

This study assessed the structure and composition of a Miombo woodland stand subjected to selective logging through a forest inventory, measuring all trees with DBH ≥ 10 cm across 34 plots (1 ha each) for diameter, height, stem quality, and health status. The stand had a mean stem density of 255 stems/ha, basal area of 15 m²/ha, above ground biomass of 110 Mg/ha, and total volume of 145 m³/ha. The Fabaceae family, particularly Brachystegia spiciformis, dominated the composition. Diversity indices revealed moderate diversity (Shannon = 2.3, Simpson = 0.8, Pielou = 0.6), with a few dominant species. The diameter distribution followed a reverse J-shaped pattern typical of Miombo woodlands. The study (LevasFlor. (2024). Plano De Maneio Da LevasFlor, LDA) highlighted common features of selectively logged woodlands, including a low occurrence of large-diameter individuals from high-value commercial species, prevalence of disturbance-tolerant species, and limited regeneration for some species. These findings underscore the need for management strategies that balance ecological and socio-economic factors, mitigate logging impacts, promote regeneration, and ensure long-term sustainability. Effective policies are crucial for maintaining the ecological integrity and economic value of Miombo woodlands while addressing climate resilience and biodiversity conservation. Full article