Results of building of Castanopsis boisii nursery garden in Bac Giang after 6 years of implementation.

Castanopsis boisii is an endemic species of Vietnam, not only of high economic value, meet part of the source of timber for construction, home appliancesetc.,that seeds are also popular food with highly nutritious, have a medicinal effect. Castanopsis boisii distributes insome areas widely, mainly in North area, such as Bac Giang province, Quang Ninh province etc. With the advantageous conditions, extensive propagation of Castanopsis boisii is a good way to develop the household economy, improve income for people in the area.

Bac Giang province is one ofCastanopsis boisii areas which have the largest area.Castanopsis boisii hasbeen significant income crop for the people. Besides, local people have long experience in propagation and planting, which is a great advantage to develop Castanopsis boisii.

Project implementation: "Development of economic value of speciality forest trees in the period of 2011-2015", Institute for Forest Ecology and Environment has coordinated with Son Dong Protection Forest Management Board to select dominant trees, cloning by transplant method, to build clonal seed orchards to supply scion wood, engraft for seedling market of Province and Neighbouring provinces. After 6 years of implementation, the results collected of Castanopsis boisii in Bac Giang are summarized as follows:

1. Result of dominant tree collection

The results of the survey in Bac Giang province show that Bac Giang is a distribution center of Castanopsis boisii. This species occurs in most of the mountainous districts of the province. The concentrated distribution areas include Luc Nam (Truong Son, Vo Tranh, Binh Son, Nghia Phuong, Luc Son, Huyen Son), Luc Ngan (Tan Lap, Nam Duong), districts Tan Yen (Tan Trung, Nha Nam, An Duong, Phuc Hoa, Lien Xuong), Yen The (Tan Tien, Tam Hiep communes). The distribution areas are less concentrated, including Luc Nam (Cuong Son, Truong Giang, Dong Hung, Dong Phu, Tam Di, Ba Son communes), Luc Ngan district (My An commune), Son Dong district (Thanh communes) Son, Thanh Luan, Tuan Dao), Yen The (Tien Thang, Tam Hiep and Phung Xuong communes). The scattered area consists of the remaining mountain communes of Son Dong, Luc Nam and Yen The.

The results also showed that in Luc Nam district, the quality of chestnuts also ensured the requirement for the selection of the dominant trees, in which 9 stands were selected (7 stands in Luc Son commune and 2 stands in Truong Son Commune) qualify for the dominant tree. Results of selection of dominant trees according to branch standard No. 147-2006 (issued in accordance with Decision No. 4108/QD-BNN-KHCN dated 29/12/2006 of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), selected 40 dominant trees (12 dominant trees in Luc Son commune and 28 dominant trees in Truong Son commune) according to Decision No. 626 / QD-SNN dated 06/11/2013 by the Director of Bac Giang Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. (Source code from SM.04.13 to SM.04.52).

Figure 01: Castanopsis boisii in Luc Son commune and Truong Son commune

2.Multiplication result

Inheriting many kinds of research on multiplication of Castanopsis boisii by the grafting method, the project has propagated the tree by grafting method. Inside:

• Graft origin:Castanopsis boisii is nursed in nutrient bulb size (15cm x 20cm), reaching from 18 months; healthy, not pestilent, diameter from 0.6 to 1.0cm. The total of 8,000 seedlings was planted at the Institute forForest Ecology and Forest Nursery in 40 blocks, 50 cm apart and 200 trees in each.
• Graft material(scion): got from 40 dominant trees admitted in Luc Son and Truong Son communes, Luc Nam district. Grafts are collected from the middle layer of canopy upside, in the East and Southeast, the crafts are not too old or tooyoung, the diameterof scions is from 0.6 to 1.0 cm, no insects and hidden in the canopy. The mother plants are numbered according to the source code, the scions of each tree are separated, after obtaining moisture preservation (cut leaves, covered with damp cloth, to enter the foam box). Scion has the floating surface but not bud.

After 12 months, the project has collected 4,000 standard grafted seedlings, in which, on average, 100 grafted seedlings per line (original certificate No. 299/2015/NGLG - 338/2015 / NGLG)

Figure 02: Multiplication result of Castanopsis boisii by scraft method at the Institute forForest Ecology and Forest Nursery

3. Results of clonal seed orchard construction

The project coordinated with the Son Dong Protection Forest Management Board selected the location of the clonal seed orchard, planted the clonal seed orchard in accordance with the approved design.

Results after 1 year of planting, the seedlings in the garden have grown and developed well, the grafted eyes have grown steadily. So, the initial results of the project showed that Castanopsis boisii grow well and are suitable for the natural conditions of the selection area for the establishment of seed orchards.

Figure 03: Nursery gardenin An Lac Commune, Son Dong District, Bac Giang province after 2 years