Collaboration for Agriculture & Rural Development: Field evaluation and advanced vegetative mass-propagation technology for scaling up high-value plantations of Pinus caribaea and related hybrids in Vietnam - Milestone 7 " pot

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Collaboration for Agriculture & Rural Development Project 033/05 VIE Field evaluation and advanced vegetative mass-propagation technology for scaling up high-value plantations of Pinus caribaea and related hybrids in Vietnam Milestone 7: Output 2.3: Hedge and containerised nurseries Deliverables: Means of verification for payment • Three pilot scale hedge and containerised nurseries operational and capable of producing at least 30,000 high quality plants/year Report Title: Progress in establishing Pinus hedge areas and containerised nurseries at three pilot sites in Vietnam March 2008 Page of 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………… 2.0 Hedge area establishment…………………………………………………………………3 2.1 Ba Vi (Cam Quy) ………………………………………………………………… 2.2 Phu Ninh (FRC) ……………………………………………………………………6 2.3 Dalat (Cam Ly) …………………………………………………………………… 3.0 Pilot nurseries, collecting and setting cuttings………………………………………… 3.1 Ba Vi Nursery…………………………………………………………………… 3.2 FRC Nursery and cuttings trials, Phu Ninh……………………………………… 3.3 Dalat Nursery………………………………………………………………………10 4.0 Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………….10 5.0 Contacts………………………………………………………………………………… 10 List of Tables Table Title Page Description of pilot Pinus hedge areas established in Vietnam under CARD Project 033/05 VIE Taxa used to establish initial Pinus hedges at pilot hedge sites in Vietnam nd rd Summary of original Ba Vi hedges still alive after and shoot harvest Summary of original FRC hedges still alive as at November 2007 Effect of cutting technique on survival rate at months after setting, at Ba Vi Effect of hormone on cutting survival months after setting at Ba Vi Performance of shoots collected and set at FRC, Phu Ninh for different pine varieties History of shoot collection and setting at Cam Ly, Dalat 10 Rooting percentage months after setting for different potting mixes at Cam Ly, Dalat 10 List of Appendices Title A Ba Vi hedge area establishment B Phu Ninh hedge area establishment C Dalat hedge area establishment D Collecting and setting cuttings, Ba Vi E Collecting and setting cuttings, Phu Ninh F Collecting and setting cuttings, Dalat Page of 11 1.0 INTRODUCTION CARD Project 033/VIE seeks to review existing experience with and performance of several tropical conifer species in Vietnam, particularly Caribbean Pine, and to establish further trials of improved genetic material, including hybrids The project will also provide capacity building for forest research institutions relating to Pinus tree improvement and mass propagation systems via training in Queensland and Vietnam, development of small-scale hedge and nursery infrastructure, and a study tour to Australia, involving forest managers and researchers Finally, the project will build awareness among large and small-scale forest growers including ethnic minorities, through the establishment of collaborative demonstration plantings in priority regions for Pinus plantation expansion in Vietnam, supported by appropriate training This report relates to Output 2.3 of the Project relating to the establishment and operation of three pilot scale hedge and containerised nurseries for the production of pine cuttings 2.0 HEDGE AREA ESTABLISHMENT Following initial training in Queensland in May 2006, project partners established three pilot hedge areas (Table 1) using seedlings raised from various Queensland and Vietnamese sourced seed as detailed in Table Some hedge beds were covered with Queensland supplied black weed mat, while others were either covered with locally sourced blue weed mat or straw The overall design of the hedge areas was similar to that used in Queensland, however the hedges were planted more densely due to space limitations and the short project timeframes in an effort to maximise initial production of shoots Table 1: Description of pilot Pinus hedge areas established in Vietnam under CARD Project 033/05 VIE Province Region Locality Agency Latitude Longitude Elevation (m) Annual Rainfall Soil Established Site Ha Tay North Cam Quy, Ba Vi Research Centre for Forest Tree Improvement 21° 07’N 105° 26’E 50 Site Phu Tho North Phu Ninh Forest Research Centre, part of Vinapaco 21° 29’ 46’’N 105° 27’ 5’’E 75 Site Lam Dong Central Highlands Cam Ly, Dalat Lam Dong Forest Research Centre, FSIV 11° 38’ 15’’N 108° 15’53’’E 1,500 1,680 mm 1,387 mm 1,730 mm Poor soil, heavy clay at 50cm August 2006 Yellow medium clay Deep, red, well-drained December 2006 June 2006 Page of 11 Table 2: Taxa used to establish initial Pinus hedges at pilot hedge sites in Vietnam Province Locality Taxa initially planted x seed source Pinus massoniana (PMASS) – Tam Dao P caribaea var hondurensis (PCH) – non select – Dai Lai P caribaea var hondurensis (PCH) –select – elite seed from 11 plus trees, Dai Lai Seed Production Area (SPA) P caribaea var hondurensis (PCH) – non select – Queensland P elliottii var elliottii x PCH = PEE x PCH F2 hybrid Queensland PCH x P caribaea var caribaea (PCH x PCC) – Queensland TOTAL INITIAL HEDGES PLANTED Site Site Site Ha Tay Phu Tho Lam Dong Cam Quy FRC Cam Ly Ba Vi Phu Ninh Dalat Number of hedges initially planted 284 591 454 665 522 280 672 591 314 1,065 159 85 125 186 142 218 2,059 1,559 2,745 Comments on each of the three pilot hedge areas follow 2.1 Ba Vi (Cam Quy) Attachment A is a collection of images from the Ba Vi hedge area at different stages Over 2,000 seedlings were planted as hedges made up of taxa as shown in Table Hedges were arranged in 14 separate beds, using the black “Queensland” weed mat and using locally sourced blue plastic weed mat Images A1 to A4, (November 2006, months after planting), show that initial survival and growth was quite good with only a few losses By the time that hedge management and nursery training was conducted in May 2007 (age months) the hedges were healthy, well-established and ready for shoot harvesting as indicated in images A5 to A7 During July 2007 (11 months from planting) there was wide spread and rapid death of many hedges, starting with (but not confined to) those established using the blue weed mat Refer images A8 to A13 Table shows for each hedge taxon the number and percent of hedge plants still alive after the second shoot harvest (September 2007) and third shoot harvest (November 2007) Only percent of original hedges were alive after the second shoot harvest and this had reduced to percent by November 2007, after the third shoot harvest The PEE x PCH F2 hybrid hedges from Queensland survived much better than all the other taxon with 42 percent still alive after the third shoot harvest Images A14 to A17 show the state of the hedges as at November 2007, including a few beginning to recover and some replanted Page of 11 Table 3: Summary of original Ba Vi hedges still alive after 2nd and 3rd shoot harvest Taxon Original hedges Number alive after 2nd cut (9/07) % Alive (9/07) Number alive after 3rd cut (11/07) % Alive (11/07) PEE x PCH (Qld) 159 79 50% 66 42% PCH x PCC (Qld) 186 17 9% 2% PCH (Qld) non select 591 0% 0% PCH – Dai Lai (select) 522 14 3% 0% PCH – Dai Lai (non select) 591 1% 0% 2,049 117 6% 73 4% TOTAL The rapid and widespread death of hedges at Ba Vi has not been experienced in Queensland This event was a surprise and disappointment for all of those who had done such a good job in setting up the pilot facility, which looked very healthy only a couple of months earlier Discussions with local staff revealed that temperatures were very high during June and July 2007 It is believed that the high temperatures, (up to 41 degrees Celsius recorded under the blue weed mat and slightly less under the black weed mat) were primarily responsible for the death of the hedges The root systems, especially in the moist clay soil, were probably “cooked”, explaining the rapid death of the hedges As a result of this experience, the following actions are recommended for future hedge management at Ba Vi: Ba Vi Hedge recommendations Remove (and not replace) the weed mat before re-establishing any hedges Mix additional organic matter and sand into the hedge beds to reduce the clay content and improve drainage before re-planting hedges Erect removable (sliding) high shade over the hedge area so that the hedge area is shaded during periods of extreme summer heat Re-establish hedges (including P caribaea var bahamensis – PCB and perhaps PCH x PCB) as soon as possible Avoid trimming back hedges and harvesting shoots during the peak of the hot and humid summer months to reduce the risk of pest and disease attack Page of 11 2.2 Phu Ninh (FRC) Attachment B is a collection of images from the Phu Ninh hedge area at different stages 1,559 seedlings made up of taxa were planted as hedges as shown in Table Hedges were arranged in 28 separate beds; 14 using the black “Queensland” weed mat and 14 lightly covered with straw Images B1 to B9 (May 2007, months after planting) show that initial survival and growth was quite good with only a few losses, although some hedge plants were taller than desired at time of planting Image B10 (August 2007) shows that quite a few hedges have died and many look an unhealthy yellow This is around the same time that most of the hedges at Ba Vi died Images B11 to B19, (November 2007, 11 months after original hedge establishment) show widespread death for most hedge varieties apart from PEE x PCH F2 hybrid (Queensland) and Masson pine Many hedges have been re-planted in the black weed mat area and the original 14 hedge beds covered with straw have been converted to a Eucalypt hedge area Including refills, there were 454 hedge plants in November 2007, including 31 percent PEE x PCH F2 hybrids Many of the original hedges also display “brown needle”, which may be due to pathogen, although local staff could not confirm the identity of the suspected agent Table shows for each variety the number and percent of original plants still alive as at November 2007 On average, only percent of original hedges were alive by November 2007 As in Ba Vi, the PEE x PCH F2 hybrid hedges from Queensland seed (42 %) survived much better than all the other varieties Survival of Masson pine hedges (24 %) was reasonable and much better than any of the PCH varieties (2-3 %) Table 4: Summary of original FRC hedges still alive as at November 2007 Variety Original hedges Number Alive (11/07) % Alive (11/07) PEE x PCH (Qld) 85 36 42% PCH x PCC (Qld) 142 13 9% PCH (Qld) non select 314 2% PCH – Dai Lai (select) 280 2% PCH – Dai Lai (nonselect) 454 13 Masson pine 284 68 24% 1,559 142 9% TOTAL 3% It is likely that the hedges at FRC, Phu Ninh died from similar causes as those at Ba Vi, although it is surprising that the hedge beds covered by straw (not black weed mat) also suffered significant mortality The hot and humid weather during the peak of summer may be a high risk period for attack by pests and diseases, and the chances of fungal attack are probably high shortly after shoot harvest during these high-risk periods The recommendations for the Ba Vi hedge site apply equally to the FRC site at Phu Ninh, although it is not recommended that any PCB hedges be established at FRC Page of 11 2.3 Dalat (Cam Ly) Attachment C is a collection of images from the Dalat hedge area at different stages 2,745 hedges were planted from seedlings made up of taxa as shown in Table Hedges were established using the black “Queensland” weed mat and also locally sourced blue weed mat Unlike the other two sites (3 rows per hedge bed on raised beds), the hedges at Dalat were planted as rows per hedge bed and the beds were not raised As well, a circle about 20 cm diameter was “melted” into the weed mat using a tin holding hot coals to create a clear planting spot for each hedge plant This may have also reduced heat build up around the base of the hedges The better quality, well-drained soil combined with the much cooler climate (Dalat is located at approximately 1,500m elevation) has probably assisted the greatly improved performance of the hedges at Dalat compared to the other two sites Images C1 to C3 (November 2006, months after planting) show the excellent survival and growth of the initial planting with very few losses Images C4 to C11 (May 2007, 10 months after planting) show the excellent survival and growth of the initial planting with only a few losses It was also clear by this stage that the blue weed mat was degrading very quickly Images C12 to C15, (December 2007, 17 months after original hedge establishment) show that the hedges have been recently trimmed back and, while some deaths are evident, survival continues to be quite good 3.0 PILOT NURSERIES, COLLECTING AND SETTING CUTTINGS In this section of the report, results and experience in collecting and setting cuttings is presented for each of the three pilot nursery areas 3.1 Ba Vi Nursery Attachment D shows various images relating to the Ba Vi pilot nursery including nursery infrastructure, the collection of shoots from hedges, setting cuttings and progress of set cuttings Images D1 and D2 (November 2006) show the shade house constructed as part of the CARD project Images D3 to D11, taken during the nursery training session in May 2007, show the collection and setting of shoots, the trimming back of hedges after shoot collection and developing root systems from the initial setting Images D12 to D16 show the development of set shoots during the most recent joint inspection in November 2007 A range of trial treatments to improve the strike rate of rooted cuttings have been evaluated at Ba Vi There have been previous attempts at raising pine cuttings in Vietnam A trial was established comparing the performance of “Vietnamese” style cuttings with “Queensland” style cuttings which are in general more juvenile in appearance and are based on the selection criteria outlined during the training courses held in Queensland and Vietnam Table shows results for the different styles of cuttings for the different pine varieties Page of 11 Table 5: Effect of cutting technique on survival rate at months after setting, at Ba Vi Variety Shoots set per technique Percent set shoots still alive for each style of cutting Vietnam style Queensland style PEE x PCH (Qld) 150 13 62 PCH x PCC (Qld) 150 28 65 PCH (Qld) – non select 150 25 52 PCH Dai Lai - select 100 19 PCH Dai Lai – nonselect 550 12 TOTAL 1,100 11 32 The results indicate that the “Queensland” style cutting is around times more effective compared to the Vietnamese cutting (average 32 % across all varieties compared to 11 %) When hedge seed source is compared, the Queensland varieties (PEE x PCH, PCH x PCC and PCH-Qld) averaged 60 % survival compared to the two PCH – Dai Lai varieties (13 %) When hedge survival (see Table 3) and shoot survival (Table 5) are considered jointly, the Queensland PEE x PCH F2 hybrid hedges combined with shoot collection using the Queensland technique clearly produced the best results The performance to age 10 years of PEE x PCH F2 hybrids in field trials near Ba Vi has (reported separately under milestone of this CARD project) has also been impressive compared to other varieties, providing further confidence regarding the suitability of PEE x PCH F2 hybrids in this part of northern Vietnam In another trial, the effect of hormone (1.0 % IBA) on cuttings survival was evaluated for three different pine varieties The results (Table 6) are similar for both treatments and not support the need to apply hormones to improve cutting survival This result is similar to experience in Queensland with hybrid pines As in the previous experiment, the survival of the Queensland PEE x PCH F2 hybrid cuttings is much better than the local PCH Table 6: Effect of hormone on cutting survival months after setting at Ba Vi Variety Number of shoots set Number alive (%) No IBA 1% IBA PEE x PCH (Qld) 150 88 (59%) 95 (63%) PCH x PCC (Qld) 150 101 (67%) 91 (61%) PCH – Dai Lai select 100 27 (27%) 20 (20%) TOTAL 400 216 (54%) 206 (52%) Page of 11 During an inspection of the Ba Vi nursery in November 2007 (Images D13 to D17) it was discovered that the potting mix was too wet and was also holding too much water A much reduced watering regime was suggested As well, once cuttings have rooted, it is important that they are transferred to a full sun position 3.2 FRC Nursery and cuttings trials, Phu Ninh Attachment E shows various images for the setting of cuttings collected and raised at FRC, Phu Ninh Images E1 to E9 were taken in May 2007, one year after the Queensland training sessions and prior to the training in Vietnam The health of the cuttings is generally quite good However, after initial rooting it is necessary to move the cuttings into the full sun for best development Following a recommendation from the May 2007 visit, FRC staff constructed a small, welldrained area in the full sun next to the shade house to promote further development of cuttings after they had started to root Images E10 to E17 (November 2007) show the area in full sun for the cuttings as well as results from various treatments in different containers for different varieties To date, shoots have been collected and set on three occasions Table presents a summary of the average number of shoots collected per hedge as well as the total number of shoots set in containers and their survival to November 2007 The survival rate for the two hybrid varieties and the PCH (Dai Lai –select) is quite encouraging On the other hand, the large difference between the PCH (Dai Lai – select) (62%) and the other two PCH varieties (18% average) is difficult to explain Table 7: Performance of shoots collected and set at FRC, Phu Ninh for different pine varieties Variety Shoots collected/hedge (Average of settings) Number of shoots collected and set Number of cuttings still alive Percent of containerised cuttings still alive PEE x PCH (Qld) 17.44 445 342 77% PCH x PCC (Qld) 19.6 200 135 68% PCH Dai Lai select 28.6 360 223 62% PCH Dai Lai – non-select 26.5 540 91 17% PCH (Qld) – non select 26 600 112 19% 2145 903 42% TOTAL Page of 11 3.3 Dalat Nursery Attachment F shows various images for the setting of cuttings collected and raised at Dalat Images F1 to F4 (November 2006) show results from the initial setting As with the other pilot nurseries, the cuttings have been receiving too much water and have not been moved into full sun after initial root formation They should also not be placed directly on the ground since good air circulation around the root systems is important for their development Images F5 to F8 (May 2007) highlight the shoot harvesting from hedges at Cam Ly and setting undertaken during the training session at Dalat Images F9 to F12 (December 2007) demonstrate progress with cuttings set to date To date, most hedges are still alive Shoots have been collected and set on three occasions as indicated in Table As well, four different potting mixes have been trialled to evaluate their effect on strike rate Table shows percent rooting success at age months Table 8: History of shoot collection and setting at Cam Ly, Dalat Date shoots collected and set Average shoots collected per hedge Number of shoots set September 2006 3-5 1,200 May 2007 8-9 3,000 October 2007 10 - 20 5,000 Table 9: Rooting percentage months after setting for different potting mixes at Cam Ly, Dalat Potting mix Percent rooting at months 100% “top soil” 73% 50% “top soil”: 50% decomposed coffee husks 70% 1/3 “top soil”: 1/3 decomposed coffee husks, 1/3 fine sand 60% 50% “top soil”, 50% fine sand 63% There was no experiment of cutting propagation for different pine varieties in Da Lat 4.0 CONCLUSIONS Based on the establishment and initial management of three pilot Pinus vegetative propagation facilities in Vietnam, the following preliminary conclusions and recommendations are provided for further consideration: The location of hedge areas should target well – drained sites that are not subject to excessive heat Where high temperatures are anticipated, temporary shading may be required to prevent the death of hedges If hedge re-establishment is to occur at either Ba Vi or Phu Ninh, improve soil drainage before re-planting hedge plants Page 10 of 11 The PEE x PCH hybrid has performed better than PCH hedges in northern Vietnam The establishment of PCB and PCH x PCB hedges is worth considering, especially around Ba Vi The use of hormones has not resulted in any improvement in rooting percentages Once set, cuttings should be kept moist, but not over-watered Flexible watering regimes across different sections of a nursery should be encouraged so that individual areas are not over or under-watered Continue to evaluate alternative, low cost potting mixes, especially those that provide excellent drainage Avoid trimming back hedges during the peak of the hot and humid summer months to reduce the risk of pest and disease attack Pinus cuttings need to be moved into full sun as soon as they begin to develop roots 5.0 CONTACTS Project Management Vietnam Queensland Mr Phi Hong Hai Deputy Director Research Centre for Forest Tree Improvement Dong Ngac Tu Liem, Ha Noi Phi.hong.hai@fsiv.org.vn Ph: 84 (0) 8389 813 Fax 84 (0) 836 2280 Mr Ian Last Manager, Plantation Development and Innovation Forestry Plantations Queensland P O Box 1339 GYMPIE, Queensland, 4570 AUSTRALIA Ian.last@fpq.qld.gov.au Ph: 61 (0) 754 820 891 Fax: 61 (0) 5482 3430 Pilot Nurseries Nursery Location Site Leader/Director Project Leader Cam Quy, Ba Vi HA TAY Mr Nguyen Dinh Hai Director Ba Vi Research Station, RCFTI Mr Ha Van Huy Director Forest Research Centre (Part of Vinapaco) Mr Hua Vinh Tung Director Lam Dong Forest Research Centre Mr Mai Trung Kien Vice Director Ba Vi Research Station, RCFTI Miss Vu Thi Tho FRC, Phu Ninh PHU THO Cam Ly, Dalat LAM DONG Page 11 of 11 Mr Pham Trong Nhan ... building for forest research institutions relating to Pinus tree improvement and mass propagation systems via training in Queensland and Vietnam, development of small-scale hedge and nursery infrastructure,... Collecting and setting cuttings, Ba Vi E Collecting and setting cuttings, Phu Ninh F Collecting and setting cuttings, Dalat Page of 11 1.0 INTRODUCTION CARD Project 033/VIE seeks to review existing... relating to the establishment and operation of three pilot scale hedge and containerised nurseries for the production of pine cuttings 2.0 HEDGE AREA ESTABLISHMENT Following initial training in