PINEA Project

Field visit to sites concerning the implementation of the irrigation and fertilization trials continued on the 3rd of October. Three sites with stone pine plantations in around the Coruche region were visited for this purpose. The established fertilization trial (Vale Porquinho) was also visited during the afternoon.

In Sol Posto the pine trees were planted in 2003 and were grafted 5 years ago. The stand presented a good production of cones.

In Machoqueira do Grou - site 1 - the pine trees were planted in 2007 with a 8 m x 3 m spacing and an annual grafting was made since 2010 in the more promising trees. The site has a gentle slope. In Site 2 the years of plantation and grafting and also the spacing is identical to site 1 but the pine trees had a more difficult establishment.

The fertilization trial in Vale Porquinho (Chamusca) was established in 2009 (year of plantation) with  7 treatments and 3 repetitions.

In order to implement the irrigation and fertilization trials, on the 30th of September, 3 sites with stone pine plantations were visited. The stands have different age and characteristics.

In Esteveira (Alcochete) the pine trees are 16 years old, planted with a 8 m x 10 m spacing. After the thinning (which was carried out this year, in half of the total area) the spacing is 16 m x 10 m.  The stand has been already producing cones.

In Herdade da Abegoaria (Vendas Novas) the pine trees are 3 years old, grafted and non grafted. The plantation was made with a spacing of 3.5 m x 7 m. The whole area (10 ha) is drip irrigated with fertilizer (spring and autumn).

The 5 years old pines in Herdade da Comporta were planted with a 8 m x 8 m spacing and present great variability in  growth. About ten percent of the area was grafted. The stand is drip irrigated with fertilizar from June to September.

UNAC organised a visit to show a unit which processes Pinus pinea cones to obtain pine nuts, on the 20th of September. Several participants from the PINEA Project attended to this interesting event.

Pinea project members and Pinus pinea stalkeholders had a meeting at Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA) on the 12th September. Activities and tasks planned were discussed.Presentation is avaliable for download: PINEA-Project-2013-09-12

PINEA Project website was developed during its proposal. Now with the PINEA Project start it was necessary to renovate and upgrade the existing website. We hope it will be serving its propose to facilitate information about ongoing research and its results.