Objective The project will contribute to the reforestation, the environmental improvement and the control of the erosion. At the same time, the project will offer plant material for alternative cultures, helping the productivity and demographique stability of particular regions of the Community (in Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Portugal). The project objective is to contribute to environmental improvement in marginal Mediterranean regions through reforestation and the control of erosion. Selection of superior trees with respect to adaptation, growth rate, form and, for some species, fruit production was performed. This was accomplished in plantations and natural stands of the species Ceratonia siliqua (Greece and Italy), Liquidambar orientalis (Greece), Simmondsia chinensis (Italy), Quercus suber (Italy and Portugal) and Prosopsis juliflora (introduced from Africa). Micropropagation techniques were applied by culturing nodal explants obtained from young seedlings 2 to 3 years old except for the species Liquidambar orientalis (sweet gum) where explants were obtained by culturing buds of mature trees. Rooting was successful although it was very difficult for Prosopsis juliflora. 3 laboratories responsible for micropropagation, have worked out a protocol for each one of the 5 species. Shoots of carob trees (C siliqua) and jojoba (S chinensis) were examined for the occurrence of epiphytic and endophytic bacteria flora. Both species were free from endophytic bacteria but not from epiphytic bacteria. Studies to determine optimal conditions of seed germination and seedling development were initiated.Five forest plant species have been chosen for rapid clonal and mass propagation. The project will deal with the following woody species : Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), Orient Liquidambar (Liquidambar orientalis), Oak (Quercus suber) and Prosopis (Prosopis juliflora). In selected clones of these five species the work will be as follows : - the establishment of the "in vitro" plant micropropagation techniques, - the optimisation of the used micropropagation methods, - the industrialisation of these methods for producing plants in mass, with low cost, - the application of the hydroponic system and the mycorrhization to the selected clones, - the adaptation of the performant selected clones, with trials in the individual mediterranean regions. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologyagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growingsocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity Programme(s) FP2-CAMAR - Research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of competitiveness of agriculture and management of agricultural resources, 1989-1993 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator VITROHELLAS S.A. EU contribution No data Address AVENUE STRATOY 14 54640 THESSALONIQUE Greece See on map Total cost No data Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CROCUS FLORA SA Greece EU contribution No data Address KROKION 37100 ALMYROS See on map Total cost No data FORMATION ET AIDE AUX ENTREPRISES ASBL(FAE) Belgium EU contribution No data Address JOHN WATERLOO WILSON 11 1040 BRUSSELS See on map Total cost No data REPROVITRO GEMBLOUX Belgium EU contribution No data Address CHAUSSEE DE CHARLEROI 234 5030 GEMBLOUX See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO Italy EU contribution No data Address PIAZZA MARINA, 61 90133 PALERMO See on map Total cost No data
