BioMatNet Item: AIR1-CT92-0142 - European Development of Walnut Trees for Wood and Fruit Production as an Alternative and Extensive System for Agricultural Crops

AIR1-CT92-0142
European Development of Walnut Trees for Wood and Fruit Production as an Alternative and Extensive System for Agricultural Crops

Contacts

To find similar Items, click on a keyword below:
AIR Cluster IX - Forestry : Agriculture : Forestry : Plant Genetics : Solid Wood Products : Wood (Lignocellulose)

	Contract No	AIR1-CT92-0142
	Total Cost	2 348 900
	EC Contribution	1 600 000
	Start Date	01/01/1993
	Duration	36 months

OBJECTIVE:

Walnut trees (persian, or interspecific hybrids) produce quality timber (80 m3/ha after 50 years, 600 ECU/m3) and veneer, valuable fruits (lt/ha/an 1-2 ECU/kg)) and secondary products (oil, alcohol, colouring). Well-adapted to agroforestry and environmentally pleasant they can grow in the Eastern part as well as the north mediterranean zone of Europe. Small scale plantations (1-10 ha) are attractive for farmers. Thus, walnut is a rare woody species very adequate to the necessary reconversion and diversification of agriculture. For wood production (wind protection and trunk formation) and environmental quality, it can be associated with Alnus, Eleagnus, corylus, etc.

Complementary groups of sicentists and technicians from public and private companies in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece are engaged to develop the culture of walnut for benefit of nurseries and farmers to cabinet-makers.

The project involves 8 proposers and 11 associated-proposers, including 31 research units, grouped by country to facilitate administrative and financial management.

6 main working-groups, using a common plant material work on :

Rhizogenesis.
Micropropagation and somatic embryogenesis.
Genetic variability and biological tests for selection.
Plant production and experimental plantations.
Economical evaluation and environmental impact.
Scientific and practical studies of wood quality.

Scientific and technical exchanges between partners are going through :

Plant materials (mediterranean, J.regia from Spain, Greece and Italy, continental J.regia from Germany, hybrids from France);
Sampling for genetic (enzymatic analyses in Italy and Spain, RFLP in Italy, polyphenolic markers in France) and wood quality studies, etc;
Techniques for micropropagation and somatic embryogenesis and extension to private nurseries;
Basic studies on rhizogenesis;
Data base on old plantations, wood quality;
EEC farmers for economical evaluation.

Expected results will turn on :

Increased plantation area and seedlings or microcuttings production;
Improved multiplication, rooting and acclimation rates. Benefits in ecological impacts on soil and landscape;
Evaluation of legislations and markets associated to different integrated systems in temperate and mediterranean climate.
Estimation of the genetic variability of the different progenies : selection of superior clones or varieties.
Promotion of wood quality production, local production of fruits and secondary products from walnut trees in Europe.

Wood samples prepared from walnut logs for mechanical, physical, chemical and biological analyses

Contacts

Coordinator
- INRA Unité Amélioration, Génétique et Physiologie Forestière Physiology of Tree Development Team / FRANCE
EC Scientific Officer
- Mr G Rossetto / European Commission DG VI Agriculture BELGIUM
Participant