Research and Reserves Protection Unit

Within the State Forests, the Research and Reserves Protection Unit serves as the Seed Assessment Station, carrying out the commercial tests requested by the State Forests units administered by the Regional Directorate of State Forests in Wrocław.

The unit is also responsible for the evaluation and storage of seeds from all over the country, appointed to the realization of the following programs:

·          Progeny testing program

·          Preservation of forest gene resources program,

·          Protection and restitution of English Yew program,

·          Silver Fir restitution in the Sudeten mountains program.

Seeds received by the Forest Gene Bank are assessed in accordance with standards set up byt the State Forests which take into consideration Polish specific seed production policy and selection procedures.

The Unit provides analysis reports:

·          during the technological processes of preparing gene reserves for long-term storage and deposits for short-term storage in low temperatures,

·          during the preparation of reserves in a 2-year research cycle,

·          for research purposes, where the scope is previously negotiated with research institutions,

·          for forest training practices within the scope ordered by forestry management or research institutions, including forecasting.

Depending on seed dormancy, viability can be determined through:

·          seed germination test,

·          biochemical tests – tetrazole or indigocarmine, where color reaction of living tissue is different than of living tissue,

·          biophysical method – X-ray radiography,

·          cutting test – analysis of the macroscopic seed section.

  Germination test                        Tetrazole test

Additional assessments conducted by the Unit:

·          vigour test for the Common Beech seeds – describing the range of seeds infection by the fungal pathogenes,

·          growth test – assessment describing the percentage of seeds in sample which are able to germinate and create a well-shaped seedling.

    Vigour test of Beech seeds           Growth test of Beech seeds

The X-ray radiography, used commonly at the FGB is important in quick assessment of seed quality:

·          while making a decision whether or not to harvest (pre-harvest tests with the account of the expected germination ability),

·          during non-destructive examination if precious and small amounts of seeds,

·          during separation processes which throw aside empty seeds, seeds with larvae or undeveloped seeds,

·          while determining direct causes of improper seed germination,

·          during the embryonic index analysis at the stratification.

The X-ray Laboratory

Storage of seeds

Precisely described genetic material during its long-term storage is frequently controlled to check its quality. Storage takes place in programmed temperature (to minus 10ºC) and humidity conditions.

Depending on the aim of storing, in the FGB seeds are stored in cold chambers:

·          short-term storing for economic seed deposits,

·          long-term storing for gene reserves.

Shelfs with the genetic material

In cooperation with other Polish research centers, we examine the impact of long-term storage on seed viability.

Dormant seeds stratification

 The Research and reserves Protection Unit controls  liquidation of seed dormancy in stratification seed bed and without it, in different combinations and temperature cycles. Seeds in this case are assessed by the germination tests and ascension tests.

In case if seeds are ready to germinate too early, there is a possibility of freezing stratification beds in a special chamber in order to block germination.