OptiCept Increases Cultivation Efficiency for Pine
The project on cultivation efficiency, conducted in collaboration with leading forestry companies in South Africa, continues to show positive results. It has been confirmed that OptiBoost technology also increases the rooting rate of pine cuttings. Additionally, the project has verified an accelerated growth rate of over 10%, which allows for the planting of cuttings to be expedited by at least one week.
The collaborative project within the South African forestry industry began in the fall of 2024, in partnership with a group of global forestry and paper companies, led by Mondi Group and Sappi. In January 2025, OptiCept reported the first interim results of the project, which will continue throughout the year. Further progress in the project can now be presented:
- Improved Rooting Rate for Pine Cuttings
- An increased rooting rate means that more cuttings successfully develop roots and grow into fully mature trees, optimizing the cultivation process. Previously, tests had only been conducted on eucalyptus and akacia.
- Accelerated Growth for Pine and Eucalyptus
- OptiCept has confirmed that the OptiBoost method can accelerate the growth of cuttings. Normally, it takes 9–10 weeks for a cutting to be ready for planting, but with OptiBoost, this period is shortened by at least one week—improving efficiency by at least 10%.
- Extended Productive Lifespan of Pine Mother Plants
- Cuttings are taken from mother plants, whose productivity declines over time. Through OptiBoost, OptiCept has demonstrated a significant improvement in the rooting rate of cuttings taken from older mother plants. This results in substantial cost savings, as mother plants can remain in production longer than they do today.
All test results so far indicate that the vacuum impregnation technology, OptiBoost, reduces costs and increases capacity for forestry companies by improving cultivation efficiency.
Thomas Lundqvist, CEO of OptiCept Technologies, comments on the results:
"I am pleased with our work and the progress of the project. It is particularly gratifying that we are making breakthroughs in pine, one of the most common genera in the forestry industry. The potential for this new market is very significant, and for the first time, we have also been able to prove that OptiBoost accelerates the growth of cuttings, further strengthening our business offering."