Luke’s vegetative propagation technology platform
Luke’s (Natural Resources Institute Finland) research and development activities in vegetative propagation aim at the development of high-standard forest cultivation material and new development of green areas and seedling production of special trees by means of added growth.
The objective is to produce commercially available forest cultivation material, which is well adapted to a future climate, of high quality, and which grows and binds carbon better than the current seedlings. The research activities also focus especially on the improvement of the sustainability characteristics of tree saplings, such as the possibilities of utilising marker gene-based selection to improve the heterobasidion sustainability of spruce. The main focus of development and innovation work is on mass increase methods and in the development of technology required for them in cooperation with XAMK in order to improve cost-effectiveness of production.
In addition to forestry, Luke’s RDI activities serve business operations that utilise special trees, such as the production of ornamental and landscaping trees, and Christmas trees. For these purposes, trees with the desired external characteristics can be added on a growth basis
Services and available equipment
- Teaching and consultation of vegetative propagation methods
- Production of commercial addition materials (incl. registering of forest cultivation materials)
- Storage of propagation materials / samples deep-frozen (cryopreservation), regeneration
- Production of sapling material added with propagation for further cultivation
- Other propagation materials, such as cutting or graft parts
- Test growing of forest tree sapling materials, testing (as soon as KASVU2 greenhouse has been completed in 2022)
The innovation platform includes modern plant tissue culture facilities with its aseptic work spaces and the required equipment (e.g. autoclaves, laminars, substrate preparation equipment). There are several liquid nitrogen containers for storing of materials in cryopreservation, and a programmable freezer for slow freezing of samples. There are several stereomicroscopes for the examination, genotyping and quality control of materials, as well as a research microscope with digital cameras combined in them, and also a molecular biology laboratory with its equipment. The innovation platform also includes in vitro cultivation facilities for cultures and small seedlings with controlled conditions (temperature, air humidity, LED lighting – with a partially controlled spectrum) and facilities for their cold storage. In 2022, a special greenhouse will also be completed in connection with the innovation platform, which will enable growing of larger seedlings in closely controlled conditions and, e.g. testing of their resistance to disease.
Location
Organisation(s)
Natural Resources Institute Finland
Competences
Growth sectors
TRL-level
Contact(s)
Tuija Aronen
tuija.aronen(at)luke.fi
029 532 4233