Criteri per la costituzione di un arboreto da seme di ciliegio da legno

In Italy the necessity for qualified forest nursery stock, in relation to genetic and cultural aspects, highlights the lack of seed orchard aimed to produce seed for seedlings to be successfully established in productive plantations for high quality timber. In this framework Piemonte Regional Administration financed a project to realize noble hardwoods seed orchards in Northern Italy. In this paper the criteria followed to establish a Prunus avium clonal seed orchard are described. It was realized in Po Valley, near Albano Vercellese. The work phases consisted of: a) investigation of the species distribution in Piemonte Region; b) study on the genetic aspects of wild cherry Piemonte populations; c) selection of the populations; d) identification of the mother plants, on the basis of phenotypes with superior features suitable to quality wood production; e) analysis of the best positioning of the clones to maximize the mating system in relation to the available surface; f) vegetative propagation of the mother plants by grafting. Adopted criteria and technical solutions are described.