Genetic Improvement of Forest Tree Species for high added-value primary and secondary products

Knowledge Deepening / Consolidation

The course is also offered to exchange programme students.

1. Understanding of the restrictions and the potential in planting fast growing forest tree species. 2. Training on the methods applied for the reproduction (sexual and asexual) of fast-growing, ornamental and forest species for secondary products. 3. Training on the genetic improvement methods aiming towards the maximization of biomass production from fast- growing forest species 4. Training on the application of genetic improvement methods for the production of ornamental tree, shrub and garrigue vegetation. 5. Training and understanding breeding methods for secondary forest products from Edible, aromatic, medicinal, hosts of mycorrhizal (edible or not) fungi, bee flora, sericulture-host forest species. 6. Applying knowledge in practice through autonomous experimental procedures during which students organize work procedures, monitor and analyze data and finally take decisions by synthesizing the experimental results.

Fast-growing forest species – Fast growing species potentials and limitations for the establishment of plantations for: A. Industrial wood production of specific dimensions, B. Biomass production (for paper pulp, chipboards etc.) C. Energy plantations. Selecting suitable traits and applying methods of genetic improvement (phenotypic mass selection, hybridization, foreign species introduction) for the production of industrial wood, biomass and paper pulp and maximization of biomass and improvement of wood quality especially applicable to fast growing forest species such as: Populus, Platanus, Salix, Alnus, Robinia, etc Secondary forest products from: Edible, aromatic, medicinal, hosts of mycorrhizal (edible or not) fungi, bee flora, sericulture-host forest species. Selecting suitable traits and applying methods for their genetic improvement for the production of secondary forest high-added value products. Ornamental forest plants (trees, shrubs and garrigue vegetation) for the establishment of plantations for: A. Urban areas (parks, gardens, tree rows, private yards) B. Peri-urban areas (peri-urban recreation forests, forest botanical gardens etc.) C. Plantations between urban areas (national highway tree rows, side slope protection plants) D. Plantations for specific uses (production of Christmas trees, planting natural protective windbreaks, mining soil recovery forest plants, phytoremediation). Biotic-Abiotic stresses of the ornamental species in the urban and peri-urban environment. Breeding objectives and aims. Selecting suitable traits and their genetic improvement through phenotypic mass selection, hybridization, foreign species introduction and mutations. Propagation techniques for Fast-growing, species for secondary forest products and Ornamental forest species: a) seed propagation, b) vegetative propagation (cuttings, grafting, layering, plant tissue culture) – Clonal Forestry (potentials, limitations)–Industrial plantations (Preparation of the propagating material – Site preparation for the plantation establishment and subsequent cultivating maintenance- Harvesting-Exploitation

Fast-growing, Ornamental and forest species for secondary products, propagation methods, breeding methods, maximization of biomass production, production of ornamental forest tree and shrub varieties, Christmas trees, Breeding methods for edible, aromatic, medicinal, hosts of mycorrhizal (edible or not) fungi, bee flora, sericulture-host forest species.

05-07-2023