Báo cáo nghiên cứu khoa học " Strengthening Capacity in Forest Tree Seed Technologies Serving Research and Development Activities and ex-situ Conservation - MS5" pot

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development


CARD Project Progress Report



058/04VIE

Strengthening Capacity in Forest Tree Seed
Technologies Serving Research and Development
Activities and ex-situ Conservation





MS5: Second Six Monthly Report







JULY – DECEMBER 2005


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1. Institute Information

Project Name
Strengthening Capacity in Forest Tree
Seed Technologies Serving Research and
Development Activities and ex-situ
Conservation (No. 058/04VIE)

Vietnamese Institution
Research Centre for Forest Tree
Improvement (RCFTI), Forest Science
Institute of Vietnam, Hanoi
Vietnamese Project Team Leader
Dr Ha Huy Thinh
Australian Organisation
Ensis. (Joint Venture between CSIRO
Forestry and Forest Products and Scion,
New Zealand)
Australian Personnel
Brian Gunn, Khongsak Pinyopusarerk
Date commenced
18
th
April 2005
Completion date (original)
February 2007
Completion date (revised)
April 2007
Reporting period
July – December 2005

Contact Officer(s)

In Australia: Team Leader

Name:
Brian Gunn
Telephone:
+61 2 62818211
Position:
Research Officer
Fax:
+61 2 62818266
Organisation
Ensis
Email:

In Australia: Administrative contact
Name:
Ms Irena Mahnic
Telephone:
+61 3 95452222
Position:
Finance Officer
Fax:
+61 3 95452448
Organisation
CSIRO FFP
Email:


In Vietnam

Name:
Dr Ha Huy Thinh
Telephone:
+84 4 8389813
Position:
Director
Fax:
+81 4 8362280
Organisation
Research Centre for Forest Tree
Improvement, FSIV
Email:



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2. Project Abstract

The Government of Vietnam (GoV) has embarked on a massive tree plantation program. By 2010
it plans to establish an additional 5 million hectares of plantations on cleared land, over and above
the current plantation estate of one million hectares, plus the equivalent of more than 50,000
hectares of community forests in scattered plantings. The GoV is committed to improving the
quantity and quality of tree seed produced from its own seed orchards, which is a more sustainable
strategy than depending on imported seed.
This project aims at strengthening the capacity of RCFTI and selected regional production centres
in forest tree seed technologies through development of a functional tree seed centre. Ensis is the
Australian project partner contracted to provide the necessary training.
Since the previous Progress Report covering the period from Inception to 30
th
June 2005, activities
have continued to be undertaken largely in accordance with the milestone descriptions under the
project document.
Key activities undertaken
• Seed database installed on RCFTI computer in Hanoi
Seed database operat

• ions manual provided in English.
• KP - Training course in seed orchard management conducted
• Guidelines on seed orchard management provided to RCFTI. .
The Government of Vietnam (GoV) has embarked on a massive tree plantation program. By 2010
it plans to establish an additional 5 million hectares of plantations on cleared land, over and above
the current plantation estate of one million hectares, plus the equivalent of more than 50,000
hectares of community forests in scattered plantings. The GoV is committed to improving the
quantity and quality of tree seed produced from its own seed orchards, which is a more sustainable
strategy than depending on imported seed.
This project aims at strengthening the capacity of RCFTI and selected regional production centres
in forest tree seed technologies through development of a functional tree seed centre. Ensis is the
Australian project partner contracted to provide the necessary training.
Since the previous Progress Report covering the period from Inception to 30
th
June 2005, activities
have continued to be undertaken largely in accordance with the milestone descriptions under the
project document.
Key activities undertaken
• Installation of seed database made on computer at RCFTI in Hanoi and Operations Manual
provided in English.
• Research trial established to assess silvicultural management techniques on seed production
in an Acacia crassicarpa established seed orchard.
• Training provided in seed orchard management supported by guidelines on seed orchard
management provided to RCFTI in English and Vietnamese.
• Documentation on RCFTI’s seed stocks recorded
• All forms realting to seed documentation have been prepared and printed
3. Executive Summary
This progress report covers the period 1 July to 31 December 2005.
Modifications to the seed database were completed. The database was installed into the
computer at RCFTI and staff trained in its use. An operations manual written in English was

also provided. Translation into Vietnamese is in progress. While attempting to enter seed
information onto the seed database, RCFTI staff experienced problems which may be
associated with the supporting Microsoft software installed initially on the computer required
to run the database. Action has been taken to address this software problem.
RCFTI have designed and arranged printing forms for use in documenting seed handling.
Mr K. Pinyopusarerk conducted a training course in Vietnam in establishment and
management of seed production areas in Vietnam in August 2005 which was attended by 12
Vietnamese scientists and technicians. Written guidelines, which were also translated into
Vietnamese language, were provided to RCFTI for use in implementing changes to
management for improved seed production.
A silvicultural trial was set up in an A. crassicarpa seed production area in northern Vietnam
to demonstrate the impacts of thinning and fertilization on seed production.


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4. Introduction & Background
A summary of the project objectives, outputs and approach is listed below:
• A total of 12 Vietnamese staff will participate in one study tour and four training visits to
Australia.
 Managerial level training – four persons for two weeks at the commencement of the
project to study general operation of the ATSC and visit seed orchards in
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria
 Technical staff training – eight persons in four groups of two each for hands-on
training and lectures in seed technology associated with field work (seed collection
and processing, seed orchard management, seed laboratory training and associated
documentation. Training will also cover development of tree breeding strategies,
trial design and data analysis of trials associated with seed orchard activities.
Techniques to monitor the reproductive biology of key species will also be studied.
The understanding of reproductive biology is an important component of
understanding outcrossing rates and factors influence quality and quantity of seed

production.
• Four ensis staff will make a total of 12 visits to Vietnam to work with RCFTI and
regional centres over the course of the project.
 Project inception meeting followed by visit of field sites and regional collaborators
 install the computerised seed database and train staff. This to be undertaken in
2005 with a follow-up visit in 2006 to assess and make modifications to the
database to ensure the process is working effectively and data has been correctly
entered.
 one initial hands-on training course in seed collection at a pre-determined location
(Dongha) in 2005 attended by 15 participants and facilitated ensis staff. This will
be followed up with a second visit in 2006 to assess application of training
techniques through visiting the participants at their place of work. Post harvesting
seed processing and seed storage requirements, reproductive biology studies will
also be covered.
 extensive field assessments of seed orchards in the north, centre and south of
Vietnam
 analyse field data to determine genetic variation within seed orchards and to
provide baseline data for thinning based on genetic parameters.
 set up experimental plots for silvicultural treatments within selected seed orchards
located in the north, centre and south
 monitor flowering rate and seed production capacity in the sample plots
 determine outcrossing rates of seed-orchard seeds to confirm genetic quality
 develop breeding strategies for long-term genetic improvement and conservation
• Vietnamese staff will be trained how to properly document Seed Centre operations and to
use the ATSC seed database, and will discuss with ATSC experts the appropriate
modifications to documentations and database, for RCFTI

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• RCFTI and ATSC staff will work together to produce a Seed Centre Operations Manual
for RCFTI, adapted from the existing ATSC Operations Manual

Progress to Date
4.1 Implementation Highlights
The seed database was installed at RCFTI during the week commencing 19
th
September
2005. A report on the training and database installation was submitted to CARD following
the visit by Ms Clarke. This was undertaken in conjunction with training provided by Ms
Clarke in management and use of the database system. Initial training was provided to 10
participants from RCFTI, FSIV and the Central Forest Seed Company. This enabled the
participants to gain an understanding about the capability of the database and how it would
support the seed handling processes at RCFTI. Ms Chi, the key person responsible for the
database, was able to demonstrate her ability to successfully install the database on the
computer using the notes provided. All seed records have been entered on the database as
per Attachment 1.

An English version of the seed database operations manual has been provided to RCFTI as
part of the training workshop discuss above. Ms Chi has made considerable inputs into the
Vietnamese translation of the manual. It is anticipated that the translation will be completed
by the end of February.

Following the visit to Canberra earlier in the year, RCFTI staff designed and arranged
printing of forms required supporting seed handling (Attachment 3)
• Seed collection data sheet
• Seed germination test sheet
• Seed moisture content test sheet
• Seed record card
• Seed pre-treatment codes
A training course on establishment and management techniques to improve seed production
was conducted at the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam, 22-24 August 2005. A report on
this vist was submitted to CARD by Mr Pinyopusarerk. A copy of the report is also

contained in this report under Attachment 2. It was attended by 12 scientists from various
forest offices in nine provinces. The course was designed to provide Vietnamese staff
involved in the management and procurement of seed with the necessary knowledge and
skills to efficiently and confidently undertaking establishment and management of seed
production of priority species for reforestation programs in Vietnam. The lecture session
covered the following issues: seed quality, seed producing stands and development of seed
production areas. There was a practical session in which participants were involved in
selection and thinning in a E. pellita seed production area. Written guidelines were provided
to the RCFTI and a Vietnamese version was made available to training participants.

A silvicultural trial was set up in a 6-year-old stand of A. crassicarpa to study the impacts of
thinning and fertilizer application on seed production. The treatments have been laid out in a
completely randomised block design with 4 replicates, 2500m
2
/plot as follows:

1. Control, no thinning
2. Thinning 50%
3. NPK 10:5:10 fertilizer 2 kg/tree

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4. Thinning 50% + NPK 10:5:10 fertilizer 2 kg/tree
4.2 Smallholder Benefits
Activities under the project have related to capacity building within RCFTI. There are
therefore no smallholder benefits to report on.
4.3 Capacity Building
Training of RCFTI staff has been the key activity within the reporting period as outlined
above and in the Logframe.
4.4 Publicity
No publicity material has resulted from this project.

4.5 Project Management
The project has been managed within the framework of the Project Proposal. Effective
collaboration has been on-going between RCFTI and Ensis.
5. Report on Cross-Cutting Issues
5.1.Environment
No issues to report.
5.2.Gender and Social Issues
No issues to report.
6. Implementation & Sustainability Issues
6.1. Issues and Constraints
Following installation of the seed database, it was discovered that the process of backing up
the data in Access does not operate which will make the data vulnerable to being lost.

6.2. Options
Install licensed software version of Microsoft Windows XP Professional with (SP2) and MS
Office Professional 2003 in order to run the seed database and backup with greater assurance
of security of data. This acquisition was not envisaged in the project proposal. In order to
acquire this software it will be necessary to commit an additional A$1200.

6.3.Sustainability
Next Critical Steps
The next six months covers the period January to June 2006. Activities during this period include

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• Visit by B. Gunn to review project activities and hold progress meeting in January 2006 (visit
underway at time of preparing this report)
• B. Gunn to make a 2
nd
visit to Vietnam in order to conduct laboratory training in seed technology
including handling of recalcitrant seed. Date to coincide with seeding of indigenous recalcitrant

species.
• J. Larmour to conduct a training course in Vietnam on seed collection and documentation in May
2006 to coincide with seeding of Acacia crassicarpa seed orchard in Dong Ha.
• Four Vietnamese scientists to receive training in Australia in breeding strategy and seed orchard
management in March/April 2006. RCFTI to nominate participants.

• K. Pinyopusarerk to conduct further training in seed orchard management in Vietnam in
May/June 2006 designed to analyse information from trials for use in determining which trees
should be thinned as part of improving the genetic quality of the resulting seed.

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