Study sopported by JSC Latvia's State Forests and SC Latvijas Finieris
Studies have been initiated on stimulating the flowering of birch clones and exploring the physiological processes involved in flowering. Concurrently, they have monitored the management of birch seed plantations and studied the Estonian experience in managing such plantations.
To assess the potential of using reclaimed peat extraction sites for growing short-rotation birch coppice, information has been gathered on similar projects in Finland and elsewhere. The aim is to investigate the applicability of such management methods in Latvia as a solution for the reclamation of these areas.
The monitoring of experimental plots established in previous studies continues. An experimental plot to assess the impact of boron fertilization was established in 2019 in the Zemgale region. After six growing seasons, the impact of fertilization on birch growth in the plantation has not been confirmed. Trees fertilized with ash showed slightly better growth, but the differences between fertilization variants were not statistically significant. In two previously established birch provenance plantations, birch trees grown from Lithuanian reproductive material LT BK2 and Latvian reproductive material LV Riet showed the best growth rates. Finnish birch lagged significantly in growth, but measurements need to be continued long-term to assess the quality of trees of different origins.
To explain the survival of planted trees in birch plantations, genetic analyses of trees have been conducted. Analyses in the studied birch plantations confirm that 75% of the trees originate from seed plantations. These results confirm that, despite the admixture of natural trees, birch plantations on forest land are quite successful in achieving the survival and persistence of planted birch after young stand management.
Experiments are being conducted in the laboratory on the in vitro cultivation of birch to determine how different light conditions affect the growth of young shoots. Areas have been selected where experimental plantations will be established with birch seedlings grown in the laboratory to assess their growth under natural conditions.
