Obiettivo
Larch (Larix sp.) Is a potentially important timber species throughout Europe increasing the environmental and amenity value of our forests. It is one of the fastest growing conifers with valuable wood properties, well suited for afforestation of surplus agricultural lands, diversification of conifer monocultures and enrichment of existing forests. Nevertheless its role in Europe is still too minor compared to booming exotics such as Douglas-fir or Sitka spruce. One of the major reasons seems to lie in the absence of a true commercial market for the new lowland timber resource, due to the mutual ignorance of industrials on one side (traditionally located in the native range) and forest owners (in lowlands) on the other. Questions about wood quality of this new resource is unavoidable and it seems even the key to create a better context for developing an active commercial market. A second reason, often invoked by foresters, lies in the scarcity of improved larch material for reforestation and the nearly absence of silvicultural guidelines for establishment and management of stands. Wood industrials, wood technologists, silviculturists, breeders and plant propagators are invited in this project to work together and develop a research larch wood chain. It is a challenge as competence is scattered across Europe but expertise exists both at the industrial, technical and scientific levels to answer to the 2 major concerns summarized above.
Four research and development tasks have been considered: - The first one 'Wood technology', tackled both at the industrial and laboratory levels, will focus on the following questions: i) How does the quality of lowland larch wood compare to that of the famous alpine larch wood ? Ii) What is the impact of genetics and environment on natural durability, one of larch most valuable wood characteristics ? Informative precision about wood properties to be improved will be brought to silviculturists and breeders. Managers with adequate tools to properly choose species and varieties, establish plantations and thin stands. Establishment guidelines and growth models will be worked on and proposed for better production in agreement with wood users requirements and better management of biodiversity. Criteria and hybridization strategy for more efficient creation and selection of improved material. Preparation of longer-term genetic progress will be als engaged in a more cooperative way among Institutes by conservation of the mos valuable gene pools from Central Europe and building up of common breeding populations. - The fourth task Mass propagation techniques' tackle major biological or technical bottlenecks connected with creation and mass-propagation of seed or plant material. Larch (especially hybrid larch) particularly accumulates difficulties in this respect. Both generative and vegetative ways will be worked on and technically and economically viable methods will be proposed. To solve these problems, an integrated multidisciplinary approach will be used by taking advantage of the complementary scientific and technical expertise of all 11 participants. New (bio-) technology tools as well as innovative solutions in several fields will be deployed throughout the project. Industrial partners closely associated to the project will ensure a proper transfer of research findings.
Campo scientifico (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifica i progetti con EuroSciVoc, una tassonomia multilingue dei campi scientifici, attraverso un processo semi-automatico basato su tecniche NLP.
CORDIS classifica i progetti con EuroSciVoc, una tassonomia multilingue dei campi scientifici, attraverso un processo semi-automatico basato su tecniche NLP.
- scienze naturaliscienze biologichegenetica
- ingegneria e tecnologiaingegneria ambientalegestione basata sugli ecosistemiripristino ecologico
- scienze naturaliscienze biologicheecologiaecosistemi
- scienze agricoleagricoltura, silvicoltura e pescasilvicoltura
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CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinatore
45160 Orléans
Francia