Container volume and subirrigation schedule influence Quercus variabilis seedling growth and nutrient status in the nursery and field |
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Authors: | Qiaoyu Sun R Kasten Dumroese |
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Institution: | 1. Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China;2. Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Moscow, ID, USA |
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Abstract: | Container volume and irrigation management affect seedling growth in the nursery and field. We evaluated the effects of container volumes (D40, 656?ml; D60, 983?ml) and subirrigation schedules (85%, 75%, 65%, and 55% of 100% total substrate moisture content, TSMC) on seedling growth in a greenhouse and outplanting performance of Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis Blume) for one growing season. In the greenhouse, morphological attributes of seedlings grown at 85% and 75% TSMC in D60 were greater than those grown at 65% and 55% TSMC in D40. After outplanting, seedlings grown at 75% TSMC in D60 were tallest but not different than those grown at 65% TSMC. Shoot (9.2?g), root (28.0?g), and total (37.2?g) biomass of seedlings subirrigated at 55% TSMC in D60 reached maximum values, but shoot biomass for seedlings grown at either 65% or 55% TSMC was similar. Root and total N and K contents of seedlings subirrigated at 65% and 55% TSMC were greater than those grown at 85% and 75% TSMC. Our results suggest that reducing the subirrigation schedule threshold and using a container with more volume could improve oak seedling growth and nutrient accumulation during the first growing season of outplanting. |
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Keywords: | Quercus subirrigation schedule container volume nutrient outplanting performance |
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