Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech and Nature + launch ARM+ to preserve monumental trees
The ARM+ "Preservation of Monumental Trees and Tree Multiplication+ " team of experts, made up of scientists Jean-Louis Doucet (GxABT), Édouard Coenraets (GxABT) and Guillaume Nève (Nature +) are focused on one objective: the production of quality seeds for reforestation programs in Central Africa.
Since the project's inception in 2022, E. Coenraets and G. Nève, under the supervision of JL Doucet, have been developing a seed orchard and innovating in the field with the use of aerial layering, a method that was previously reserved for fruit trees but is now proving just as promising in forestry.
To maintain forest potential and sufficient resources for stakeholders such as forestry companies, local populations and reforestation programs, it is essential to adopt silvicultural methods that integrate the planting of trees from superior individuals, referred to as "trees +". Unfortunately, this approach is also marked by a lack of availability of quality seeds in sufficient quantity.
Indeed, for many countries like Cameroon, collecting seeds to supply nurseries is an essential step, but one that comes up against ecological, logistical and financial difficulties. As a result, certain species of interest are often poorly represented in nurseries. What's more, seeds are often collected from a limited number of seedbeds, irrespective of their phenotype, which can result in poor-quality or unviable seedlings.
To overcome these challenges, it is imperative to set up systems that enable the rapid production of sufficient quantities of quality seed. With this in mind, the creation of seed orchards is an efficient approach to ensuring long-term seed production.
To speed up seed production, the ARM+ team uses vegetative propagation techniques combining cuttings, grafting and layering. As for the difficult access to branches due to the height of the great Central African trees, which can reach 60 meters, E.Coenraets provides a solution by climbing into the heart of the canopy.
The clones thus produced will be replanted to form clone seed orchards, which can produce seeds in 3 to 5 years. In parallel, seed orchards from seedlings will also be set up, although this requires waiting for the plants to reach their fruiting diameter, a process that can take up to 95 years in some species.
The ARM+ project was made possible thanks to the financial support of PPECF, the collaboration of the certified forest concessions Pallisco-CFIM and Alpicam-Grumcam, which are making their staff and infrastructure available, and the participation of the universities ENSET and Yaoundé I .
