A new ‘wholly eco-friendly’ seed coating and soil treatment that boosts tree seed germination is being trialled at Forestry and Land Scotland’s Newton Nursery.

Growing tree seeds require substantial amounts of water, so they can often struggle to germinate in conditions of soil moisture deficit. The new seed coating and soil treatment trap moisture around the seed where it is needed, preventing water from draining away – giving the seeds a better chance of surviving.

Unlike most conventional products, the new coating manages to trap water without using micro-plastics or petroleum-derived polymers.

The process is being tested and developed by Scottish start-up SilviBio, a seed enhancement technology company which emerged last year from a Forestry and Land Scotland-inspired CivTech Innovation Challenge. The project is led by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) with funding from the CAN DO Innovation Challenge Fund.

Alicja Dzieciol, CEO and founder of SilviBio, said: “We have developed two products that are aimed at increasing conifer seed germination performance – particularly during periods of water deficit – and they can be used in the field or in nursery conditions.

READ MORE: Forestry England focuses on future seed supply

“Initial tests were very encouraging and also helped us to make refinements and improvements that we are testing in a new set of trials.

“Both products are showing huge potential in terms of increasing seed germination rates, and also in being able to make more efficient use of water, which in years to come is likely to become an increasingly valuable resource in many parts of the world. The results will be known within months, and we hope to be able to finesse both products so that we can present them to the market by 2022.”

Josh Roberts, FLS innovation manger, added: “We are looking to adapt our forestry practices to meet the challenges that are coming our way and that means coming up with new ways of doing things.

 “Lab and field trials have so far been very promising indeed. This is a great step forward for forestry and has significant implications for forestry, not just in Scotland but in countries that practise a style of forestry similar to the UK and even further afield.”

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