The Effects of Bioinoculants Based on Mycorrhizal and Trichoderma spp. Fungi in an Apple Tree Nursery under Replantation Conditions

Both mycorrhizal and Trichoderma spp. fungi are known for antagonistic effects against certain biological pathogens causing apple replant disease (ARD). The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the bioinoculants based on endomycorrhizal and Trichoderma spp. fungi on the biological properties of soil as well as the parameters of the apple tree growths in a fruit tree nursery under replantation conditions. A two-year experiment was conducted on Jonagold apple trees grafted on to M.9 rootstock in western Poland. The trees were planted in the replant soil—from areas used for the production of apple trees, and in the crop rotation soil, that had not been used for nursery purposes before. A mycorrhizal inoculum and preparations containing Trichoderma spp. fungi were applied to the replant soil. Biological properties of the soil and the growth of the aerial and underground parts of the apple trees were assessed. The enzymatic (dehydrogenases and protease) and respiratory activity of the replant soil was significantly lower than that of the crop rotation soil. The apple trees grew worse when exposed to the ARD conditions. The effectiveness of applied bioinoculants in mitigating the effects of replantation in the nursery were shown. Both the treatment mycorrhization and the application of bioinoculants containing Trichoderma spp. increased the respiratory and enzymatic activity of the replant soil. The growth of the root system and the aerial parts of the trees (including leaves) was much better after the combined use of both types of fungi than in the replant soil that had not received the fungal treatment.

Environmental Challenges of Tree Nursery, Reforestation and its Impacts in the Limbe Municipality, South West Region, Cameroon

With the increasing rate of global warming and climate change in the world and Limbe municipality in particular, tree nursery in the Limbe Botanic Garden and reforestation is of great importance to combat the negative environmental impacts. There are frequent landslides, flooding, rapid deforestation, and destruction of animal habitats leading to climate change and global warming in the town of Limbe. This study is focus on exploiting the challenges of tree nursery, reforestation and its impacts in order to reduce the increasing rate of carbon dioxide and other environmental disasters brought about by rapid deforestation. A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted from February to August 2021 using quantitative and qualitative approaches. With the use of a simple random sampling method, 400 questionnaires were administered. Focus group discussion (FGD) was held with tree growers, the chief of forest conservator in the Limbe Botanic Garden and also with the local population in charge of forest exploitation. The results obtained from the questionnaires indicated that 57% of the challenges of tree nursery and reforestation were as a result of limited species of trees being nursed and transplanted. In contrast, 24% and 19% of the respondents also indicated that the difficulty faced in the maintenance of Limbe Botanic Garden (LBG) is the fact that there is limited renovation strategies employed. And that the causes of deforestation in Limbe, is brought about by rapid exploitation of the forest for timber purposes. To overcome these challenges, a joint effort of government and stakeholder’s participation, together with the local population is urgently needed in order to achieve sustainable tree nursery and reforestation in the municipality.

SEEDLING EMERGENCE AND GENETIC PARAMETERS OF OPEN-POLLINATED CANDEIA PROGENIES GROWN IN TREE NURSERY

MacLeish is economically appreciated due to its wood and to the extraction of its essential oil, whose active principle is alpha-bisabolol. Despite its economic importance, studies about the genetic breeding of this species remain scarce. The aim of the current study is to determine E. erythropappus seedling emergence rate, genetic parameters, as well as to identify potential open-pollinated progenies of this species and their respective matrices. The experiment was set up in tree nursery, based on a completely randomized design, with 22 progenies in four replicates comprising 14 plants per plot. Seedling emergence rate was evaluated 30 days after seeding, whereas plant height (H) and stem diameter (SD) were measured at 100 days. Statistical analyses were carried out based on the REML/BLUP method. Three progenies have shown seedling emergence rate lower than 50%; this value is considered limiting to seedling production process. Genetic variation was observed among progenies, as well as high and positive genetic correlation between H and SD. Thus, it was possible identifying superior progenies and matrices, as well as the ones presenting low performance in the evaluated traits.

Socio-Economic Importance of Tree Nursery Enterprises in Lagos State, Nigeria

There is a growing interest to understand the role of tree nursery enterprises in Nigeria and the horn of Africa. Tree nursery enterprises, which are vital economic activities in major cities of Nigeria and particularly in the city of Lagos are not adequately studied and well documented. Therefore, this study seeks to fill a gap in understanding the socioeconomic importance and profitability potential of tree nursery enterprises. Multistage sampling technique with a 3-stage design was adopted in this study using aquantitative data collection techniques through the use of structured questionnaire administered to 120 nursery entrepreneurs. Data were analyzed using descriptive, inferential, and budgetary analysis. The result revealed that tree nursery entrepreneurs are literate, mostly male in their youthful age. Furthermore, the total annual revenue earned by the respondents was ₦1,712,222.22 with a mean annual net income of ₦1,458,038.72 while the return per naira invested was ₦5.71. This shows that tree nursery enterprise is profitable in the study area. However, most entrepreneurs were faced with shortage of land for establishments of tree nursery in the study area. Therefore, appropriate actions in reducing cost of land lease/purchase are recommended to encourage new entrepreneurs and strengthen the sector’s development. Keywords: Entrepreneur, Environment, Nursery enterprises, Profitability, Socio-economic and Tree seedlings.

The condition of fruit tree nurseries and areas of government incentives for their development in Russia

Subject. The article investigates the state and development prospects for nurseries of perennial fruit and berry plantations. Objectives. Our aim is to explore the current state of fruit tree nurseries in Russia, identify trends and directions of government incentives for their development. Methods. The study draws on abstract-logical, monographic, systems, comparative, economic, statistical, and other methods of economic research. Results. We show that the level of fruit tree nursery development does not adequately respond to the demands of intensively growing horticulture. Over one third of planting materials are imported. The ranking of the country's regions by the volume of planting material demonstrates that the greatest number of seedlings is in the Krasnodar Krai and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. However, only 25% of gardens of the Krasnodar Krai use the planting material produced in the region. Conclusions. We unveiled trends in the fruit tree nursery development by subject of the Russian Federation; substantiated the importance of introducing differentiated subsidy rates for perennial fruit and berry plantations, applying an increasing factor, when domestic planting material is used.

A historical study of utility gardens within the Klemensów palace and park complex

The main purpose of the research was the historical study of utility gardens, which are separate functional and spatial sections of the palace and park complex in Klemensów. These include a walled-off garden constituting a unique man-made landscape acting as a fruit and vegetable garden, as well as a tree nursery. The utility gardens in Klemensów were a place of acclimation and reproduction of seeds and saplings imported to Poland. Thanks to the expanding possibilities of obtaining and exchanging them from foreign and domestic garden nurseries, over time, the garden in Klemensów became a unique collector’s garden. The research introduces rarely discussed problems in the field of conservation, including the adaptation of historic utility gardens. The results include the analyses of archival materials which have not been previously developed.

Growth and biomass of siberian elm seedlings (Ulmus pumila L.) grown in tree nursery

In this paper, we studied growth and biomass of 1-2 years old Siberian elm seedlings grown in the tree nursery, near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Ulmus pumila L. has a wide natural distribution throughout the country. Due to climate change and other factors, environmental degradation has become inevitable in the country and efforts to restore degraded land are made in different regions. Due to its drought and cold resistance, Siberian elm is considered to be one of the most suitable species of tree to be used for restoration and windbreaks. We measured height, diameter and biomass of 1-2 year old seedlings, and composed allometric equation to estimate aboveground and belowground biomass. Equations have high prediction power (R2=0.80-0.96), however, they are more suitable to seedlings and saplings due to difference in the allometric relationship of trees at different ages. We also explored relationship between diameter (at root collar) and height, which was fairly good (R2=0.73). In order to be able to use the equation to indirectly estimate belowground biomass of seedlings, we estimated Root/shoot ratio of seedlings. Root/shoot ratio was 0.85 for 1-2-year-old seedlings. Belowground biomass estimation can be useful in determining how well the tree can fix soil around it, and draw water and nutrients from the soil. The result of the study can be used for further work concerning the viability of Siberian elm for restoration and windbreaks.

Sewer Mining as A Basis for Technological, Business and Governance Solutions for Water in the Circular Economy: The NextGen Athens Demo

The Athens Water in the Circular Economy demo case examines all three of the following as associated with Circular Economy (CE) in wastewater streams: water, energy and materials. The application area is the Athens Urban Tree Nursery, which is located in the center of Athens, in order to address real world problems in water-scarce cities. The Athens demo application includes sewer mining, a technology first pioneered in Australia related to mobile wastewater treatment units in containers that are able to treat and provide reused water at the point of demand in dense urban environments. The installed pilot unit consists of a membrane bioreactor unit (MBR) and a UV disinfection unit. The sewer mining is achieved with a prefabricated pumping statiοn that will be demonstrated in the main sewer network for feeding the sewer mining unit with wastewater. The unit will produce fresh water that will be used for irrigation needs, and also during the winter for aquifer discharge. The Athens Tree nursery also has significant amounts of pruning materials that, until now, have remained untapped resources. The excess sludge produced from the unit along with the green and wood waste will go through a rapid composting process in order to produce fertilizer. The first stage will be a pre-treatment unit that includes the shredding, homogenizing and sorting of the pruning materials. The second stage is rapid composting that will last approximately 2 weeks. The last stage is the compost that will be used again on-site as a fertilizer full of nutrients as part of a renewable energy solution for the area to support more complete autonomy.