Selection Technique That Dramatically Improves the Germination Rate of Tree Seeds Developed: Discovery will Contribute to Turning Forestry into a Growth Industry by Cutting Costs

　In partnership with Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd. and the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Assistant Professor Osamu Matsuda of the Kyushu University Faculty of Sciences discovered a technique for the efficient selection of sound germinable tree seeds, based on reflectance in the infrared wavelength range (the long-wavelength end of the light spectrum adjacent to visible light).
　This technique facilitates the selection of seeds with a strong likelihood of germination from among the seeds of major trees used in forestry, helping to reduce the cost of sapling production, so it will provide the impetus for developing new forests. It is hoped that it will make a substantial contribution to turning forestry into a growth industry in mountainous rural areas.
　The outcomes of this study were published in the U.S. online scientific journal PLOS ONE at 14:00 (Eastern Daylight Time) on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

Anatomical features of sound and unsound seeds of Cryptomeria japonica (sugi) and Chamaecyparis obtusa (hinoki).

Spectroscopic features of sound and unsound seeds of Cryptomeria japonica (sugi) and Chamaecyparis obtusa (hinoki).