Department of Silviculture and Improvement
Current research is aimed at:
Increasing
knowledge about the geographic variability of some species population to plan the preservation and use of their genetic resources.
Making
the improvement and reproductive material selection of forest species that are of interest for a planted forest.
Characterizing
chestnut varieties oriented to the chestnut fruit production, their pollinators and rootstock.
Background
- 1955: Provenance tests on Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) start.
- 1977: INIA-USDA Agreement for the introduction of American species (Pseudotsuga menziesi).
- 1985: The Plan Básico de Mejora Forestal, focused on the Pinus pinaster, Pinus radiata, Betula celtiberica and Prunus avium species, begins. It was funded by the regional DG ‘Dirección Xeral de Montes’.
- 1989: Characterization of hybrid chestnut (Castanea crenata x Castanea sativa) clones starts. Collecting and characterization of chestnut traditional varieties also gets under way. The In Vitro Culture Laboratory and the first greenhouse of propagation by cuttings and acclimatization are created.
- 1995-2006: Provenance tests on native species; creation of genetic improvement infraestructures (Molecular Genetics Laboratory, greenhouses, experimental fields network), co-financed by ERDF funds; R&D projects (EUDIREC, W-BRAINS, CASCADE, TREEBREEDEX); collaboration with EUFORGEN; post-doctoral agreements.