09 March 2023

Clár taighde feabhsaithe crann Teagasc

Le Oilibhéar Ó Síoradáin agus Dheeraj Singh Rathore, Taighdeoirí Feabhsaithe Crann

Tacaíonn clár póraithe agus feabhsúcháin crann Teagasc le haghaidh speiceas leathanduilleach le beartais reatha chun éagsúlacht a mhéadú agus an clúdach foraoise le géinitíopaí crann atá táirgiúil agus athléimneach i gcoinne galair agus lotnaidí, agus atá oiriúnaithe d’aeráid athraitheach.
Tá dhá speiceas beithe, donn agus airgid, agus fearnóige dúchasach d’Éirinn. Chun iad seo a thabhairt isteach mar speicis crann foraoise tráchtála, cuireadh tús le clár feabhsúcháin beithe i 1998 agus ina dhiaidh sin clár feabhsaithe fearnóige in 2005. Mar thoradh air sin, bhunaigh Teagasc úlloird síl clónach laistigh agus bainc ghéiniteacha de ghéinitíopaí crann roghnaithe laistigh d’ionaid taighde Bhaile an Ásaigh agus Pháirc na Darach, agus rianta allamuigh tástála sleachta trasna ina dhiaidh sin Éireann. Bunaíodh comhpháirtíocht idir Teagasc agus naíolann tráchtála i 2015 chun tráchtálú agus soláthar inbhuanaithe beithe feabhsaithe a chinntiú do na saothróirí agus feirmeoirí.

I dTeagasc, cuireadh tús le clár pórúcháin na Fuinseoige le haghaidh lamháltais galair ar ghéilleadh fuinseoige in 2015 nuair a bunaíodh bainc ghéinte fuinseoige atá fulangach in Éirinn. Ag tógáil air seo, tá Teagasc tosaithe anois ag aithint, ag bailiú agus ag scagadh an ábhair arna mbeangúagus síológa ó ghéinitíopaí Éireannacha a tháinig slán ó inmhíolú galair le deich mbliana. Mar aon le scagadh galar feinitíopach trí thrialacha allamuigh, díríonn taighde breise ar mharcóirí a fhorbairt chun an lamháltas buan a bhailíochtú agus imscrúdú a dhéanamh ar bhunús géiniteach lamháltais/ so-ghabhálach galair ag baint úsáide as teicnící pórúcháin móilíneacha agus nua-aimseartha.

Ina theannta sin, iarrachtaí taighde chun pórú leamháin le haghaidh caoinfhulaingt go galar leamháin na hÍsiltíre ag leanúint ar aghaidh trí bhailiúcháin de leamháin a tháinig slán as na heipidéimí in Éirinn a aithint agus a bhunú, agus trí eolas a roinnt le comhpháirtithe Eorpacha.
Is í aidhm fhoriomlán an taighde seo ná cur leis an mbanc eolais a gineadh cheana féin ó chláir roimhe seo, ach freisin taighde a chur chun cinn chun pórú crann a luathú trí úsáid a bhaint as uirlisí pórúcháin géanómaíochta agus núíosacha.
Ar chuairt ar fhoraois le déanaí shuigh mé síos le haghaidh scíthe gairid agus ag féachaint ar na crainn timpeall orm, tháinig dán a d’fhoghlaim mé os cionn 45 bliain ó shin isteach i mo cheann. Tá an dán ag caoineadh bás Margaret Butler, an Bíocunta Iveagh, a bhí pósta ar an gCoirnéal Thomas Butler ó Chaisleán Chill Chais, agus na foraoisí a ghearr na Sasanaigh anuas ionas nach bhféadfadh na hÉireannaigh tearmann a ghlacadh iontu agus creach a dhéanamh ar na plandálaithe a raibh ghoid siad a gcuid talún. Seo a leanas an chéad dá véarsa den dán seo.

Cill Cháis le Aodhagán Ó Rathaille

Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan adhmad? Tá deireadh na gcoillte ar lár; níl trácht ar Chill Cháis ná ar a teaghlach is ní bainfear a cling go bráth. An áit úd a gcónaiodh an deighbhean Fuair gradam is meidhir thar mhnáibh Bhíodh iarlaí ag tarraingt tar toinn ann Is an t-aifreann binn á rá.
Ní Chluinim lachan ná gé ann, ná fiolar ag éamh sois cuain, ná fiú na mbeacha chun saothair thabharfadh mil agus céir don tslua. Níl ceol binn milis na n-éan ann le hamharc an lae a dhul uainn, náan chuaichín I mbarra na ngéag ann, ós a chuirfeadh an saol chun suain.

Teagasc tree improvement research programme

By Oliver Sheridan and Dheeraj Singh Rathore, Tree Improvement Researchers

Teagasc’s tree breeding and improvement programme for broadleaf species supports current policies for increasing diversity and the forest cover with tree genotypes that are productive and resilient to diseases and pests, and adapted for a changing climate.
Two species of birch, downy and silver, and alder are native to Ireland. To introduce these as commercial forest tree species, a birch improvement programme started in 1998 followed by an alder improvement programme in 2005. As a result, Teagasc established indoor clonal seed orchards and gene-banks of selected tree genotypes within Ashtown and Oak Park Research Centres, followed by progeny testing field trials across Ireland. A partnership between Teagasc and a commercial nursery was established in 2015 to ensure the commercialisation and sustainable supply of improved birch to growers and farmers.

In Teagasc, the Ash breeding programme for disease tolerance to ash dieback began in 2015 with the establishment of tolerant ash gene-banks in Ireland. Building upon this, Teagasc has now started identifying, collecting and screening the grafted material and seedlings from Irish genotypes that have survived the decade long disease infestation. Along with phenotypic disease screening through field trials, further research focuses on developing markers to validate the durable tolerance and investigating the genetic basis of disease tolerance/susceptibility using molecular and modern breeding techniques.
In addition, research efforts to breed elms for tolerance to Dutch elm disease are ongoing by identifying and establishing a collection of elms that have survived the epidemics in Ireland, and by sharing knowledge with European partners.
The overall aim of this research is to build on the bank of knowledge already generated from previous programmes, but also to advance research to accelerate tree breeding by deploying genomics and novel breeding tools.

On a recent visit to a forest, I sat down for a short rest and looking at the trees around me, a poem that I learned over 45 years ago came into my head. The poem mourns the death of Margaret Butler, Viscount Iveagh, who was married to Colonel Thomas Butler of Kilcash Castle, and the forests that were cut down by the English so that the Irish could not take refuge in them and raid the planters who had stolen their land. The following are the first two verses of this poem by Aodhagán Ó Rathaille.

Cill Cháis by Aodhagán Ó Rathaille

Now what will we do for timber, With the last of the woods laid low? There’s no talk of Cill Chais or its household And its bell will be struck no more. That dwelling that lived the good lady Most honoured and joyous of women Earls made their way over wave there And the sweet mass once was said.
Ducks’ voices nor geese do I hear there, nor the eagle’s cry over the bay, nor even the bees at their labour bringing honey and wax to us all. No birdsong there, sweet and delightful, As we watch the sun go down, Nor cuckoo on top of the branches settling the world to rest.