Iceland builds new greenhouse seed orchard to boost supply of improved larch seed
A new 1,636 m² greenhouse seed orchard at Vaglaskógur, in northern Iceland, will significantly increase seed production of the hybrid larch ‘Hrymur’ and support wider efforts to improve the genetic resources used in Icelandic forestry.
Growing Russian larch in southern and western Iceland has long been a challenge. Unstable winter weather can cause trees to break dormancy too early, leaving them exposed to late frosts. The answer has been ‘Hrymur’, a hybrid bred from selected Russian and European larch that combines the strengths of both species while avoiding their main drawbacks in Icelandic conditions. It has since proved one of the best-performing trees in Icelandic forestry.
For several decades, Hrymur seed has been produced mainly in a greenhouse of around 1,000 m² at Vaglir, known locally as the “seed house”. Land and Forest Iceland is now more than doubling that indoor orchard space with a second facility at Vaglaskógur. Just under 100 metres long and 16.5 metres wide, the steel-framed structure is clad with insulating polycarbonate panels and designed to cope with the heavy snow loads common in the area. It is being built by the Estonian greenhouse specialist Topgreen, whose bid made it possible to build a larger greenhouse than first planned.
Larch plants grafted with shoots from selected parent trees will move into the new orchard over the coming months, while the oldest trees in the existing facility are renewed. The extra space will also support other breeding and research work, including the selection of silver birch (Betula pendula) plus trees for seed production.
Read more on the Land and Forest Iceland website.
