For those who like the look and wonderful pine frangrance of real tree to place in their house to celebrate Christmas, there are nevertheless some drawbacks.
While selecting a nicely shaped tree can take time, perhaps the major concern is that within a short period of time, the tree begins to lose its needles, which can be quite a task to pick up afterwards, especially if they get into carpets.
Now a researcher in Canada is working on developing a better tree.
In fact Raj Lada (PhD) at Dalhousie University in east coast Nova Scotia, has established the first Christmas Tree Research Centre (CRC) in the city of Truro/ Bible Hill
Dr Lada, is with the Department of Agriculture at the university. He and his team are working on understanding the biophysical factors that lead to post-harvest dropping of needles, and in the development of mitigating products and practices.
“Solutions need to be found to increase both needle retention and the public’s interest in purchasing a real tree instead of an artificial one” R Lada”
Growing and exporting of Christmas trees is an annual $100-million industry in Atlantic Canada employing many thousands of people.. The development of better shaped, and longer lasting trees is to ensure the market and the industry continues and grows
The group is therefore also creating a “smart” Balsam tree with full and proportioned branches, a nice fragrance, and three-month retention of the blue-green needles.
Lada says “Solutions need to be found to increase both needle retention and the public’s interest in purchasing a real tree instead of an artificial one. If they are not, the Christmas tree industry in Atlantic Canada will surely suffer.”
With some $6-million dollars in funding, this research is being conducted at Dalhousie Agricultural campus in partnership with various Christmas tree growers associations in the provinces of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Nova Scotia (NS), New Brunswick(NB) and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), The Departments of Agriculture in NS, NB and NL, Smart Christmas Tree Research Cooperative and University of New Brunswick under the leadership and direction of Dr. Lada.
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