Tree Handling News
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UF/IFAS scientists find way to reduce pesticide use and save millions for ornamental industry
Results of new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences research may help control some dangerous species of fungi, known as phytophthora — or water molds — that can cause millions of dollars in damage annually to ornamental plants and some fruit trees. This finding could help reduce fungicide use to control the phytophthora that can menace Florida’s ...
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Vast forest fires in Indonesia spawn ecological disaster
For farmer Achmad Rusli, it was a season of smoke: Ten weeks without sunlight for his oranges, guavas and durians, thanks to deliberately set forest fires that burned a chunk of Indonesia the size of New Jersey. The fires have finally died down with the arrival of monsoon rains, but too late for his crops, which are far too measly to sell. "We had not seen the sun in a two-and-a-half months," ...
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Rejuvenating arid badlands: from barren slopes to living forest in 80 years
A reforestation project has revitalised its surroundings just 80 years after its inception. In the late 1920s, the Saldaña badlands in northern Spain were a barren region, with a thin layer of intensely weathered soil, and only 5% vegetation cover. Now that cover has increased dramatically to 87%, the soil quality is improving, and the water flow in the area has stabilised, bringing ...
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Xylella bacteria increasingly affecting olive trees in Southern Europe
EU-wide emergency measures came into force on 19 May to deal with the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, the cause of a devastating disease in various plants including olive trees in Italy. Xylella fastidiosa is a quarantine organism in the EU. There are no pesticides for combating this bacterial disease, so reliable detection and diagnostic methods are essential for preventing the spread of the ...
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European trees planted in China to identify potentially invasive species in our forests
Most of the exotic species which attack plants in Europe now come from Asia. INRA scientists, together with teams from the Academy of Sciences in Beijing and the Forestry University in Zhejiang have devised a new method for detecting potential invaders in their region of origin before they are introduced on another continent. European sentinel trees were planted in China for four years, and ...
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TOMORROW: USEPA Administrator and Dallas Mayor Dedicate Water Efficient Classroom and Student Garden
Dallas Independent School District, Toyota North America and the Wyland Foundation are teaming up with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a ground breaking event to celebrate sustainability at Cochran Elementary School. On Thursday, April 9, 2015, the group will join Toro Company, Texas Land Care, WaterSmart Software, Bytelaunch and the National League of Cities to dedicate the outdoor ...
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Unearthing the Roots of Fungal Symbioses
To understand the bases of mutualistic symbiosis between soil mycorrhizal fungi and plants, an international consortium of researchers conducted the first broad, comparative phylogenomic analysis of mycorrhizal fungi. Scientists describe how the comparative analyses of 18 new fungal genomes allowed them to track the evolution of symbiotic fungi interacting with trees, heath plants and orchids. ...
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Careful urban tree planting and pruning needed to reduce trapping of air pollution
Careful planting and pruning is needed to ensure that air pollution in tree-lined streets is minimised, new research suggests. While planting trees in urban areas can have many benefits, such as enhancing biodiversity, trees can trap particulate matter pollution, say the study’s authors. Particulate matter (PM) air pollution is a component of vehicle exhaust emissions and PM2.5 (particles ...
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Root hydraulic conductance linked to trees` post-transplant recovery
Survival of field-grown trees grown for transplanting into landscapes depends on many factors, such as transplant timing and tree size. Species-specific characteristics also contribute to trees' ability to withstand and survive environmental stresses. In a newly published study researchers report on the relationship between tree roots' hydraulic conductance -- the roots' ability to take up water ...
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Bioasphalt with lignin in Zeeland
Bioasphalt for roads in Zeeland, a Dutch province, is being developed by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, the Asfalt Kennis Centrum (Asphalt Knowledge Centre, AKC) and the company H4A from Sluiskil (NL). Zeeland Seaports is a project partner with interest in potential applications for the asphalt. Lignin from plants in asphalt Fossil bitumen – the main ‘glue’ in ...
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Compacted urban soils improved with composts have long-term benefits for tree growth
Composting to compacted urban soils can provide a lasting effect that aids tree growth, new research indicates. Urban soils improved with added organic material are less compacted after five years compared with soils that have not been treated with organic composts, the study suggests. Urban soils are often compacted from the construction and repair of buildings, roads and pavements. Compacted ...
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Ash dieback in the UK: how will it affect the rest of the woodland ecosystem?
Ash dieback in the UK is likely to lead to the extinction or decline of over 50 species which are reliant on or highly associated with this tree, including mosses, lichens and beetles, a new study suggests. The researchers recommend that the ash trees are not felled but left to die naturally and in time replaced with mixtures of species such as beech and sycamore which support similar woodland ...
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Valtras at work in Czech forest
The forests of Bohemia in the mountainous northern and western regions of the Czech Republic are alive with the sound of Valtra tractors hard at work. A Valtra 6300 with 24,000 hours on the clock is transporting branches from the logging site to the side of the road, where a new S Series produces woodchips for a nearby power plant. The 200 employees of the Czech company Solitera work in ...
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FAO and ITTO highlight vast potential of payments for environmental services for conservation of tropical forests
Payments for environmental services (PES), especially in tropical regions, should be recognised as an important tool for conservation and sustainable use of forests and other natural resources and better incorporated into national policies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) said. FAO and ITTO discussed the ...
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Irish Minister for Trade and Development visits FAO agriculture recovery projects in the Philippines
Irish Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello visited an FAO rice seed project funded by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and witnessed the positive impact of Ireland's financial support on the livelihoods of typhoon-affected farmers in Barangay Olotan, municipality of Jaro, Leyte. Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) damaged 600 000 hectares of agricultural ...
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Different Ways to Celebrate Earth Hour
Earth Hour is the world’s largest celebration for our planet and helps raise awareness about energy efficiency and climate change. Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, the event started in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Now, the event takes place in more than 7,000 cities and towns across the world. During Earth Hour, hundreds of millions of people around the world turn off their lights for ...
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Philippine coconut farmers struggling to recover from typhoon
Coconut farmers in the Philippines are in urgent need of assistance to recover their livelihoods nearly three months after Typhoon Haiyan tore through the country, FAO warned today. The typhoon flattened millions of trees when it made landfall in November and the country’s second largest coconut-producing region, Eastern Visayas, was one of the areas most affected. In this region alone ...
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Mahua trees and Pongamia trees In India
we have small farm of 3 acres. i have planted mahua trees and Pongamia trees after i got failure in Jatropha.India , the growing jatropha isa total failure. Jatropha will take more water and it has got toxic effects on the fruits and oil cake is with Phorbol esters which is highly toxic. so we have dropped Jatropha instead we have adopted Mahua and pongamia trees which are so native to India. D1 ...
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FAO urges policy-makers to strengthen forest producer organizations
Strengthening forest producer organizations should contribute significantly to reducing poverty, improving livelihoods and enhancing economic development of smallholder forest owners and farmers, FAO said today at the International Conference on Forest Producer Organizations, taking place in Guilin, China, 25-28 November 2013. Being part of a producer organization can give individual forest ...
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Desert plantations could help capture carbon
Planting trees in coastal deserts could capture carbon dioxide, reduce harsh desert temperatures, boost rainfall, revitalise soils and produce cheap biofuels, say scientists. Large-scale plantations of the hardy jatropha tree, Jatropha curcas, could help sequester carbon dioxide through a process known as 'carbon farming', according to a study based on data gathered in Mexico and Oman that was ...
By SciDev.Net
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