Investment appraisal of a poplar plantation aged 42 years

Commercial profitability of poplar cultivation was analyzed in an artificial poplar plantation in Serbia. The aim of this study was to validate the invested financial means in the artificial poplar plantation, on the basis of the analysis of costs and receipts during a 42-year rotation, on alluvial semigley, at a discount rate of 12%. Methods of dynamic investment calculation (net present value - NPV, internal rate of return - IRR, benefit-cost method - B/C and payback period - PBP) were used. The investigated plantations were established from Populus x euramericana cl. I-214, with a planting spacing of 6 x 3 m. At the calculation discount rate of 12%, the project for the production cycle of 42 years was not cost-effective from the economic aspect. The discount rate of 6% can be accepted in the studied plot because of the better site (alluvial semigley), but the oldness of the stand is unfavourable. For the studied sample plot, IRR was 5.51 %. B/C at r=12% in the study compartment was 0.24. The analysis shows that PBP is practically unacceptable for the investor at the discount rate of 6%. In practice, it is necessary to improve the position of producers in getting financial means for investment in poplar cultivation, so as to stimulate the establishment of artificial poplar plantations, especially in the private sector (on private land). [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 37008, TR 31041 and Value chain of non-wood forest products and its role in development of forestry sector in Serbia

Distribution of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus on Fraxinus spp. in Serbia

International Scientific Conference "Sustainable Forestry-Fact or Fiction?", 4-6 October, 2017, Skopje, Macedonia

Review of the most important pathogens in Serbian forest nurseries

Successful reforestation depends on the quality and health of seedlings. Targeted production in forest nurseries should produce plants that will be able to survive unfavorable environmental and weather conditions in Serbia. Pathogens can reduce the vitality of seedlings and decrease survival after outplanting. The most common pathogens identified on seeds of both conifer and broadleaved seedlings are presented. The most frequently used fungicides for the control of pathogens in Serbian forest nurseries, as well as the best time of their application, are reviewed

Test of Populus x euramericana cv. Pannònia resistance to the attack of Discoporium populeum (Sacc) Sutton by artificial infections

Populus x euramericana cv. Pannònia is an artificial hybrid, created in the Sarvar research station (Hungary), by crosses made by Kopecky Ferenc. It was registered in Hungary and its identification is H 490-31. Its parents are: Populus deltoides S-1-54 & Belgium (P. deltoides A 42 Iowa × P. deltoides A148 Missouri) x P. nigra Lébény 211%. Inoculations were implanted by spore suspension and mycelium of the fungus, grown on the MEA medium, by standard method. The experiments were performed on the plants 1/2, especially singled out for the experiment and on the plants in the second year after transplanting (2/2 and 2/3), at the locality Siget. The inoculations were replicated three times: 15.05.2000, 14.10.2000 and 31.03. 2001 The study shows that the newly introduced cultivar Populus × euramericana cv. Pannònia is not immune to the attack of the fungus Discosporium populeum. The highest percentage of realised infections in the experiment with mycelium was realised in October (89.7%), and the lowest percentage in May (22.6%). Inoculations with spore suspension had the same trend, only the percentage of realised infections was considerably lower, with the maximal value for October, 23.5%. Infection with spore suspension implanted in leaf scar produced the positive results, with 10.4% percentage of infection. A very significant fact is that the percentage of random infections of the plants monitored during the experiment was only 4.4%. Only one plant was girdled and killed during the research. It must be emphasised that all the necrotised spots were callused and remedied in a short period after infection, which indicates the presence of the defence mechanisms in this cultivar The study results are a good base of further research. To be able to bring correct conclusions and recommendations to the practice regarding this cultivar in the study area, it is necessary to assess the degree of Discosporium populeum presence on one-year and two-year old trees

First Report of the Invasive Ash Dieback Pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus on Fraxinus excelsior and F. angustifolia in Serbia

In Serbia, unambiguous symptoms of ash dieback disease were for the first time observed in September 2015. Symptoms included dead shoots and occasionally small necrotic lesions in the bark accompanied by characteristic wood discoloration. Isolation of fungal cultures from symptomatic tissues of F. excelsior and F. angustifolia and their sequencing using the internal transcribed spacer of the rDNA (ITS rDNA) as a marker confirmed the presence of the ash dieback pathogen, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus

European oak decline phenomenon in relationto climatic changes

The complex phenomenon of decline in European oak is currently triggered by changing climatic conditions and their consequences like heavy rains, local floods and pest development. Especially, pathogens from Phytophthora genus profit from soil saturation with water. They are alien invasive species, which attack and severely damage fine roots. In drought conditions occurring in the subsequent year, many oaks die as they encounter problem with water uptake. Additionally, insect defoliators followed by oak mildew infections accelerate the level of tree mortality. Secondary insects, butt and root pathogens are usually the final cause of death of many oaks. More research is needed in the direction to determine (i) measurable factors (e.g. chlorophyll florescence) that can indicate that the process of tree decline has already started, (ii) the correlation between the root decay and the crown symptoms (scanners, software), (iii) which combination of stressors stimulate the best development of pathogens that lead to the high plant mortality and (iv) the difference between the mortality caused by the native and the invasive Phytophthora species.The research was performed within the frame of LIFE+ ENV/PL/000459 HESOFF ongoing European project ‘Evaluation of the health state of forests and an effect of phosphate treatments with the use of photovoltaic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)’.Przemysław Szmi

Botryosphaeriaceae associated with the die-back of ornamental trees in the Western Balkans

Extensive die-back andmortality of various ornamental trees and shrubs has been observed in parts of the Western Balkans region during the past decade. The disease symptomshave been typical of those caused by pathogens residing in the Botryosphaeriaceae. The aims of this study were to isolate and characterize Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with diseased ornamental trees in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Isolates were initially characterized based on the DNA sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer rDNA and six major clades were identified. Representative isolates from each clade were further characterized using DNA sequence data for the translation elongation factor 1-alpha, b-tubulin-2 and large subunit rRNA gene regions, as well as the morphology of the asexualmorphs.Ten species of theBotryosphaeriaceae were identified of which eight, i.e., Dothiorella sarmentorum, Neofusicoccum parvum, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Phaeobotryon cupressi, Sphaeropsis visci, Diplodia seriata, D. sapinea and D. mutila were known taxa. The remaining two species could be identified only as Dothiorella spp. Dichomera syn-asexual morphs of D. sapinea, Dothiorella sp. 2 and B. dothidea, aswell as unique morphological characters for a number of the known species are described. Based on host plants and geographic distribution, the majority of Botryosphaeriaceae species found represent new records. The results of this study contribute to our knowledge of the distribution, host associations and impacts of these fungi on trees in urban environments.Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP), the University of Pretoria (South Africa) and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia (TR37008).http://link.springer.com/journal/104822017-04-30hb2016Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)GeneticsMicrobiology and Plant Patholog

Commercial Profitability of Poplar Plantation with Reference to the Damages Caused by Fungi

Background and purpose: Due to the fact that poplar rotation is one of the shortest in forestry, and as production of poplar wood requires rational and well-planned management, the potentials of sites and species must be maximally utilised. The main characteristics of the procedure of investment in poplar cultivation, is the fact that the conditions for the beginning of production and their exploitation are not created simultaneously. The main goal of the work reported in this paper was to examine the financial effects of different discount rates on the cost-efficiency values of studied poplar plantation, based on an analysis of the present value of costs and revenues over a stated time period using different methods of investment appraisal. Material and methods: Investment Appraisal also known as Capital Budgeting is used to asses whether capital expenditure on particular poplar plantations will be beneficial for the entity or not. The investigated plantation was established from Populus x euramericana cl. I-214 on alluvial semigley, with planting spacing 6 x 3 m, aged 26 years, for technical wood production. The data used in this study were collected from the archives of the, according to the age at plantation established and from the management and materials books of the forest enterprise “Vojvodinašume”. During two-year study, the material was collected from study plot in order to assess the density, distribution and significance of individual fungal organisms present in the plantation. Identification was based on the morphological characteristics of species. Results and conclusions: Under the calculation discount rate of 12%, the project for the production cycle of 26 years was not cost-effective from the economic aspect. The discount rate of 6% can be accepted in this studied plot because of the better sites (alluvial semigley) and youngness of the stand. For the studied sample plot IRR is 6.94. R for the r=12% in the study compartment is 0.407. The analysis shows that PBP is practically unacceptable for the investor under the discount rate of 6%. In the studied plot altogether 11 species of fungi causing significant damages in hybrid poplar plantations were identified. Two were found on cortical tissue, 6 on leaves and 3 species are causing decay. Number of trees attacked with decaying fungi, like Fomes fomentarius, Trametes suaveolens, was bellow 2%/ two percentage

Characteristics of Armillaria species development and their growth at different temperatures

Previous research shows that 5 Armillaria species are identified in forest ecosystems in Serbia. This paper presents the Pegler's key of species identification based on fruiting bodies - mushrooms. Previous reference data from Serbia refer only to the species A. mellea. Because of the insufficient information on the bioecology of individual species in the genus Armillaria we studied the effect of temperature, as one of the most important ecological factors for the development of mycelium and rhisomorphs

In vitro interactions between Armillaria species and potential biocontrol fungi

Interaction between Armillaria species and seven other fungi were tested in vitro. Tree antagonistic (Trichoderma viride, Trichotecium roseum and Penicillium sp.) and four decaying (Hypholoma fasciculare¸ Hypholoma capnoides, Phlebiopsis gigantea, and Pleurotus ostreatus) fungi were chosen for this study. The best results were noted for Trichoderma viride, because fungus was able to kill both mycelia and rhizomorphs of Armillaria species, while Hypholoma spp. inhibited both growth of Armillaria colonies and rhizomorph production