Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development CARD Project Progress Report
058/04VIE

Strengthening Capacity in Forest Tree Seed
Technologies Serving Research and Development
Activities and ex-situ Conservation MS5: Second Six Monthly Report

JULY – DECEMBER 2005 1
1. Institute Information


In Australia: Team Leader

Name:
Brian Gunn
Telephone:
+61 2 62818211
Position:
Research Officer
Fax:
+61 2 62818266
Organisation
Ensis
Email:

In Australia: Administrative contact
Name:
Ms Irena Mahnic
Telephone:
+61 3 95452222
Position:
Finance Officer
Fax:
+61 3 95452448
Organisation
CSIRO FFP
Email:


In Vietnam


The Government of Vietnam (GoV) has embarked on a massive tree plantation program. By 2010
it plans to establish an additional 5 million hectares of plantations on cleared land, over and above
the current plantation estate of one million hectares, plus the equivalent of more than 50,000
hectares of community forests in scattered plantings. The GoV is committed to improving the
quantity and quality of tree seed produced from its own seed orchards, which is a more sustainable
strategy than depending on imported seed.
This project aims at strengthening the capacity of RCFTI and selected regional production centres
in forest tree seed technologies through development of a functional tree seed centre. Ensis is the
Australian project partner contracted to provide the necessary training.
Since the previous Progress Report covering the period from Inception to 30
th
June 2005, activities
have continued to be undertaken largely in accordance with the milestone descriptions under the
project document.
Key activities undertaken
• Seed database installed on RCFTI computer in Hanoi
Seed database operat

also provided. Translation into Vietnamese is in progress. While attempting to enter seed
information onto the seed database, RCFTI staff experienced problems which may be
associated with the supporting Microsoft software installed initially on the computer required
to run the database. Action has been taken to address this software problem.
RCFTI have designed and arranged printing forms for use in documenting seed handling.
Mr K. Pinyopusarerk conducted a training course in Vietnam in establishment and
management of seed production areas in Vietnam in August 2005 which was attended by 12
Vietnamese scientists and technicians. Written guidelines, which were also translated into
Vietnamese language, were provided to RCFTI for use in implementing changes to
management for improved seed production.
A silvicultural trial was set up in an A. crassicarpa seed production area in northern Vietnam
to demonstrate the impacts of thinning and fertilization on seed production. 2
4. Introduction & Background
A summary of the project objectives, outputs and approach is listed below:
• A total of 12 Vietnamese staff will participate in one study tour and four training visits to
Australia.
 Managerial level training – four persons for two weeks at the commencement of the
project to study general operation of the ATSC and visit seed orchards in
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria
 Technical staff training – eight persons in four groups of two each for hands-on
training and lectures in seed technology associated with field work (seed collection
and processing, seed orchard management, seed laboratory training and associated
documentation. Training will also cover development of tree breeding strategies,
trial design and data analysis of trials associated with seed orchard activities.
Techniques to monitor the reproductive biology of key species will also be studied.
The understanding of reproductive biology is an important component of
understanding outcrossing rates and factors influence quality and quantity of seed

Progress to Date
4.1 Implementation Highlights
The seed database was installed at RCFTI during the week commencing 19
th
September
2005. A report on the training and database installation was submitted to CARD following
the visit by Ms Clarke. This was undertaken in conjunction with training provided by Ms
Clarke in management and use of the database system. Initial training was provided to 10
participants from RCFTI, FSIV and the Central Forest Seed Company. This enabled the
participants to gain an understanding about the capability of the database and how it would
support the seed handling processes at RCFTI. Ms Chi, the key person responsible for the
database, was able to demonstrate her ability to successfully install the database on the
computer using the notes provided. All seed records have been entered on the database as
per Attachment 1.

An English version of the seed database operations manual has been provided to RCFTI as
part of the training workshop discuss above. Ms Chi has made considerable inputs into the
Vietnamese translation of the manual. It is anticipated that the translation will be completed
by the end of February.

Following the visit to Canberra earlier in the year, RCFTI staff designed and arranged
printing of forms required supporting seed handling (Attachment 3)
• Seed collection data sheet
• Seed germination test sheet
• Seed moisture content test sheet
• Seed record card
• Seed pre-treatment codes
A training course on establishment and management techniques to improve seed production
was conducted at the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam, 22-24 August 2005. A report on
this vist was submitted to CARD by Mr Pinyopusarerk. A copy of the report is also

4.5 Project Management
The project has been managed within the framework of the Project Proposal. Effective
collaboration has been on-going between RCFTI and Ensis.
5. Report on Cross-Cutting Issues
5.1.Environment
No issues to report.
5.2.Gender and Social Issues
No issues to report.
6. Implementation & Sustainability Issues
6.1. Issues and Constraints
Following installation of the seed database, it was discovered that the process of backing up
the data in Access does not operate which will make the data vulnerable to being lost.

6.2. Options
Install licensed software version of Microsoft Windows XP Professional with (SP2) and MS
Office Professional 2003 in order to run the seed database and backup with greater assurance
of security of data. This acquisition was not envisaged in the project proposal. In order to
acquire this software it will be necessary to commit an additional A$1200.

6.3.Sustainability
Next Critical Steps
The next six months covers the period January to June 2006. Activities during this period include

5
• Visit by B. Gunn to review project activities and hold progress meeting in January 2006 (visit
underway at time of preparing this report)
• B. Gunn to make a 2
nd
visit to Vietnam in order to conduct laboratory training in seed technology
including handling of recalcitrant seed. Date to coincide with seeding of indigenous recalcitrant