NordGen Forest thematic day held in Akureyri, Northern Iceland, the 11th of April 2017 focusing on these two areas:

  • Seed production, collection, storing and handling
  • Tree breeding and the establishment of seed orchards.
 

Tree breeding is an important component of tree improvement which involves the science of genetics for the mass production of seedlings with desired traits in order to achieve higher productivity, better adaptability of the environment and vigorous growth rate. The Nordic countries have different access to suitable material for afforestation and forest regeneration. In Iceland there is strong focus within the forest sector to strengthen the breeding of the most important tree species to find the best adapted and vigorous material.

The session after lunch will include excursion to Iceland's biggest indoor seed orchard where there will be focus on the breeding of hybrid larch (Larix sukaczewi x decidua).

The thematic day is held in conjunction with the annual Forest conference in Iceland the 12th of April. The thematic day will be held in English while the annual forest conference will be in Icelandic.

 

Program for the NordGen thematic day 11th April at Hof

Chair: Árni Bragason

 

  • 08.00 - 08.30   Registration
  • 08.30 - 08.45   Welcome address – Þröstur Eysteinsson / Kjersti Bakkebø Fjellstad
  • 08.45 - 09.15   Øyvind Meland Edvardsen: Routines in tree seed handling A: Cone collection and processing
  • 09.15 - 09.45   Sirkku Pöykkö: Birch breeding in Finland
  • 09.45 - 10.15   Coffee break
  • 10.15 - 11.00   Kjersti Bakkebø Fjellstad: Gene conservation in the Nordic area – status and future perspectives
  • 11.00 - 11.30   Øyvind Meland Edvardsen: Routines in tree seed handling B: Seed testing, storage and upgrading
  • 11.30 - 12.00   Sirkku Pöykkö: Seed production of Betula pendula in greenhouse orchards
  • 12.00 - 13.00   Lunch

Chair: Auður Magnúsdóttir

  • 13.00 - 13.40   Gunnar Friis Proschowsky: Forest trees: Breeding and gene conservation in Denmark
  • 13.40 - 14.00   Brynjar Skúlason: Breeding of subalpine fir for Christmas tree production
  • 14.00 - 14.40  Þröstur Eysteinsson: Hybrid larch, the seed orchard in Vaglir (Larix sukaczewi x Larix decidua)
  • 15.00 Excursion to the indoor seed orchard in Vaglir where hybrid larch is produced (L. sukaczewi x  L.  decidua).

 

Organisers