Research station Gabčíkovo

Research station Gabčíkovo

Research station Gabčíkovo

Research station Gabčíkovo is second location of the CoE Lignoilva, where pilot paper machine is installed, together with paper research laboratory and hybridisation laboratory

Research station Gabčíkovo, founded by Ing. Martin Vojtuš, CSc., has been fulfilling its mission since 1952. It cultivates and breeds poplars, willows, agave, and other fast-growing trees and produces seedlings of native trees of the Danube floodplain forest.

The research station’s premises are located at Parková cesta 557/11 in the city of Gabčíkovo, near the city park Amadé. The area is approximately 2 hectares and divided into parts, including administrative buildings, cultivation areas, covered cultivation areas, water reservoirs, and technical and farm buildings.

Area of the research station Gabčíkovo

From 2019, the area will receive the first significant investments, such as a new film-maker, reconstruction of service buildings, and modernisation of equipment. In 2022, the construction site for the construction “Reconstruction and completion of the Gabčíkovo Research Station” will be handed over, as part of which the main administrative building will be renovated (external facade, heating, lowering of ceilings, rainwater and sewage drainage). New building objects such as a hybridisation greenhouse, a hall for a paper machine, a hybridisation laboratory, and the facility’s gasification are being built. This investment of approx. 1.5 million € is the result of implementing the project “Centre of Excellence of the LignoSilva Forestry and Timber Complex” and establishing a joint workplace with the project partner Pulp and Paper Research Institute (VÚPC) to operate an experimental paper machine. From March 1, 2021, the Gabčíkovo research station becomes part of the new organisational unit of the NLC-LVÚ “Center of Excellence of the Forest-based Industry (LignoSilva)”. Currently, 6 employees work at the research station.

The reconstruction and completion of the research station is one of the most significant investments of the infrastructural project “Center of Excellence of the Forest-based Industry (LignoSilva)”. As part of this investment, the main administrative building SO 01 is renovated, and new structures such as the laboratory SO 02, the semi-operational hall for the paper machine SO 03, the hybridisation greenhouse SO 04, the boiler room SO 05 and the pulp warehouse SO 07 are being built. Figure 4 shows the situational drawing with drawn construction objects.

Situational drawing with the location of the original administrative building and new buildings

The hybridisation laboratory is set up in the original administrative building. The newly built greenhouse is attached to the original object of the operating building, which became part of the hybridisation laboratory. These two connected objects serve for the hybridisation of fast-growing trees and the need for new breeding. The laboratory is designed for the controlled hybridisation of softwoods and for the propagation of woody plants by the in vitro method with artificial spectral lighting.

From a technical point of view, the hybridisation laboratory is equipped with pollen extractors, a growth chamber, an air conditioning chamber, a drying room, a binocular microscope, a laminar box, an incubator and a steriliser.

Reconstructed research station with hybridisation laboratory, greenhouse and field experiments

As part of the construction of research infrastructure, a hall for the operation of an experimental paper machine was built on the premises of the Gabčíkovo research station. The hall is 10 m wide and 40 m long. The universal pilot plant paper machine with 3 headboxes, 2 wires, and an inline integrated sizing press is operated by the Pulp and Paper Research Institute, Bratislava (Vyskumny ustav papiera a celulozy a.s. Bratislava). Paper research is aimed at new modifications of paper concerning its use as a packaging material and replacement of plastics. The operation includes a laboratory for testing the properties of paper, where destructive and non-destructive tests of the produced paper are carried out.

Installed universal experimental pilot plant paper machine – constant part and micro flotation cleaning of white water

Installed universal experimental pilot plant paper machine with 3 headboxes, 2 wires, and in-line integrated sizing press and pilot plant coating and laminating machine

At the Gabčíkovo Research Station, LignoSilva operates a Seed Bank serving as specialized research infrastructure for the long-term preservation and study of forest reproductive material.
The Seed Bank is designed for the controlled storage of forest tree seeds under precisely regulated temperature and humidity conditions, ensuring their genetic integrity, viability, and usability for both applied and fundamental research. The facility supports activities related to forest genetics, biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, and forest regeneration research.
This infrastructure enables:
  • long-term conservation of seed material from different forest tree species,
  • experimental storage under various climatic conditions,
  • support for national and international research projects,
  • backup preservation of valuable genetic resources.
The Seed Bank at Gabčíkovo represents an important component of LignoSilva’s research facilities, strengthening Slovakia’s capacity in forest seed conservation, sustainable forestry, and innovation-driven forest management.
Seed Bank at the Gabčíkovo Research Station
LignoSilva operates a high‑resolution digital microscope (KEYENCE) as part of its advanced research infrastructure, enabling detailed analysis of biological, material, and environmental samples relevant to forestry and wood science.
The digital microscope provides non-destructive, high‑precision visualization of microstructures and surface properties, supporting research focused on forest reproductive material, young tree development, root systems, assimilation organs, soil biology, and microbial activity.
A unique feature of this infrastructure is its ability to generate ultra‑high‑resolution images of up to 108 megapixels using advanced image stitching and stage‑shift technology, as well as 3D surface reconstructions with micrometer‑scale vertical resolution. This enables precise quantification of morphological changes, surface defects, and microstructural responses of plant tissues and materials under experimental conditions.
The digital microscope represents a key element of LignoSilva’s analytical infrastructure, strengthening research capacities in sustainable forestry, circular bioeconomy, and environmental innovation, while supporting national and international research projects.
Digital Microscope (KEYENCE) at the Gabčíkovo Research Station
At the Gabčíkovo Research Station, an advanced Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Thermo Scientific Prisma E is operated by the Pulp and Paper Research Institute as part of LignoSilva’s shared research infrastructure.
The electron microscope is primarily dedicated to paper and cellulose research, enabling high‑resolution visualization and analysis of paper fibers, fiber bonds, fillers, coatings, and surface treatments at the micro‑ and nanoscale. It plays a key role in studies focused on paper structure, quality, strength development, recyclability, and material degradation.
A major advantage of this infrastructure is its ability to provide nanometer‑scale imaging combined with elemental analysis, allowing researchers to investigate fiber morphology, inter‑fiber bonding mechanisms, and the distribution of additives or inorganic components within paper and cellulose‑based materials. This significantly enhances the understanding of how raw materials, processing conditions, and recycling cycles influence the final properties of paper products.
The scanning electron microscope at Gabčíkovo strengthens research capacities in paper science, cellulose‑based materials, and the circular bioeconomy, supporting applied research, industrial collaboration, and national as well as international research projects.
Scanning Electron Microscope (Thermo Scientific Prisma E) at the Gabčíkovo Research Station