The present study was inspired by scientific reports describing the positive effects of silicon preparations on fruit and vegetables in horticulture. The use of silicon preparations in forest protection represents a new research application, especially in the cases of oak seedlings that are damaged by oak powdery mildew. Additionally, these preparations increase the photosynthetic efficiency of the seedlings, and thus promote increased biomass and better nutritional value of the root systems. The new idea of using silicon formulations in forestry, based on the initial test results, is particularly important for seedlings in the post-planting period in forest plantations. In particular, these preparations increase yield and plant growth, and improve plant health. So far, no comparable studies have been conducted on forest tree species. To this end, one year-old pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and two year-old English oak (Quercus robur L.) seedlings were sprayed with silicon preparations of different concentrations, and changes in growth parameters and photosynthetic efficiency were observed. The main objective of the study was to determine the effect of the silicon preparation on the seedlings during their first life span, i.e., the first year after planting. In this study, 50 pine and 50 oak seedlings were sprayed three times with the silicon preparation, in five variants (control; concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3% and 5%), as well as the chlorophyll fluorescence, height, thickness and biomass of the roots, were measured. It was found that the treatment with a concentration of 2% was better and statistically, significantly different from the other variants, e.g., in terms of increasing photosynthetic efficiency.

Afforestation of former agricultural land poses a real challenge for foresters because soil life is often severely limited by the loss of natural soil fungal diversity. In addition, former agricultural soils have low levels of fungal species typical of forest soils, which have a unique microbiome that plays a protective role (antagonists, plant growth promoters, mycorrhizal fungi, etc.). This study aimed to determine the effect of using organic material in the form of bark compost, wood waste, and sawdust to improve the soil mycobiome of soils that have been damaged by their agricultural use. This study used experimental plots established 20 years ago, and we compared the biodiversity of the treated soils with that of the control soils by analysing soil samples with powerful molecular methods. Next-generation sequencing analysis of DNA extracted from soil samples and subsequent analysis of their species composition and biodiversity showed that the mycobiome of soil fungi has been altered by the addition of various forms of organic material. The proportion of fungi belonging to the Ascomycota decreased in favour of species from the Basidiomycota and Mucoromycota. The dominant fungal groups in the soil of the control area were Sagenomella, Wilcoxina, Oidiodendron, Meliniomyces, and Penicillium. Enrichment with organic matter by adding bark compost under the roots led to an increase in Penicillium, Inocybe, and Amphinema. The application of bark compost on the surface led to an increase in the dominance of Inocybe fungi in the soil. The mycobiome of the plant to which woody debris was applied was characterised by a marked dominance of fungi of the genera Russula, Oidiodendron, and Penicillium. Similar ratios were found in the plant to which sawdust was applied, where the fungi Meliniomyces, Penicillium, Oidiodendron, and Russula dominated. A comparative analysis of fungal diversity with the Shannon diversity index showed that the most diverse fungal communities were found in the sawdust plant (6.56), while the control sample (a soil sample from an agricultural area where no organic material was applied) had an index of 5.71. After the treatments, more potential antagonists against pine pathogens and mycorrhizal fungi were found to form beneficial symbiotic relationships with them. In our opinion, the results of this study show that it is worthwhile to introduce different forms of organic matter to post-agricultural land to improve soil biodiversity and mycorrhizal associations of pine roots with fungi to ensure the sustainability of the first generation of forests created.

The production of phosphoric acid produces “waste heaps” that have not yet been tapped, but which have the character of weak fertilizers and can perhaps be reintroduced into the elemental cycle in the forests. Two variants of mixing with organic ash and with sewage sludge were carried out. One-year-old pine seedlings (Pinus sylvestris L.) from the Trzebieź forest district (northern Poland) were planted in pots with soil that also came from the same field. Preparations containing phosphogypsum were applied topically to the soil in four doses (1, 2, 3 and 5 t/ha). The trial, which lasted one growing season, was conducted in four replicates. At the end of the trial, the height of the above-ground parts and root length, needle and root area, root neck diameter and photosynthetic performance were measured. The phosphogypsum-based preparations used showed no harmful (toxic) effects on the potted pine seedlings during the six-month trial period. The loosely prepared preparation made from a mixture of phosphogypsum and organic ash began to have a positive effect on the development of the seedlings’ root system, and it was also easier to mix with the soil surface than phosphogypsum with sewage sludge, which also contained a sticky form. The photosynthetic performance of one-year-old pine seedlings decreased after one growing season following the application of phosphogypsum preparations and most of the growth parameters tested did not differ from the control, so observations over a longer period (at least two to three growing seasons) are required. However, dosages of 1 and 2 t/ha seem to be the most promising, and these lower dosages are more economical to manage in nurseries or plantations, especially on poor sites. Formulations should be tested for heavy metals and their effects on seedling development. Testing should also be continued to monitor changes in the microbiome.

This paper includes a review of the Palaearctic and Oriental species of the genus Lichenophanes Lesne, 1899. It contains a description of the new species, Lichenophanes juxtaorientalis n. sp., which occurs in Cyprus and Crete. A new subspecies, Lichenophanes varius turanicus n. subsp.—occurring in Crete, Cyprus, and the Middle East—was separated from the species Lichenophanes varius (Illiger) and described. Moreover, this paper characterizes L. carinatus (Lewis) n. stat., which had been treated as a synonym of L. carinipennis (Lewis). Two maps present the geographic distribution of particular species, and the final part of this paper contains keys to identify them.

The paper presents a description of a new species of the genus Cephalotoma Lesne, caught in northern Thailand. The new species, C. patcharinae Borowski n. sp., is the first species in the Oriental region with a two-segmented club of antennae. The effect of the discussion presented in the paper is synonymising the tribe Cephalotomini Liu and Schönitzer, 2011 n. syn. with Trogoxylini Lesne, 1921. Moreover, the paper contains a key to classify all the species known from the Oriental region and belonging to the genus Cephalotoma.