Germination and early growth of sown Quercus robur L. in relation to soil preparation, sowing depths and prevention against predation

A field experiment was established in the autumn of 1992 in order to study predation of acorns, germination and early growth of oak seedlings. The experiment was established on a clearcut and an adjacent oak shelterwood in southern Sweden. In the experiment, a total of 6 840 acorns were sown. The sowing was carried out with different vegetation control and soil preparation treatments and with different planting depths.The germination percentage was highest for acorns sown at five cm depth and lowest for acorns sown on top of the soil, and lower for acorns sown in areas where the humus layer had been removed than in areas where the humus layer was retained. There was no difference in the percentage germination after two growing seasons between acorns sown inside the shelterwood and acorns sown on the clearcut. The height of the seedlings was lowest when the humus was removed while the number of leaves per seedling was lowest for seedlings in untreated areas after two growing seasons. Furthermore, seedlings in untreated areas showed the lowest relative height growth rate during the second growing season. In spite of higher biomass of ground vegetation in undisturbed areas compared to treated areas, no effect of the soil and vegetation control treatments could be found on soil water potentials. The soil temperature and photosynthetic active radiation at seedling level were higher in areas where soil preparation and vegetation control had been performed. However, it was concluded that neither low soil water availability nor low light levels could be the only cause of lower relative height growth rate during the second growing season for seedlings in undisturbed areas.     

不同降雨型桉树种苗期特性研究

以新引入四川的20个桉树品种71个种批号种子为材料,开展了育苗试验及苗期生长发育特性观察,重点观察了分别代表冬雨、夏雨、均匀降雨型的品种王桉、大花序桉、白腊树桉的苗期特性。结果表明:不同品种种子萌芽所需的温度、湿度是不一致的,在相同的温湿度条件下,各个品种发芽期、发芽率不同,但苗期发育特性基本相同。苗木的个体发育前期是根的快速生长,苗木高、地径、根的生长量随叶片数量增加而增加;夏季播种的夏雨型品种和部分均匀降雨型品种出苗整齐,出苗率一般在85%左右;冬雨型品种发芽极不整齐,发芽期从8月延续到翌年3月。同一品种秋季和初夏育苗的效果也不一致。     

Planting performance potential of Pinus sylvestris seedlings as evaluated by root growth capacity and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride reduction methods

Root growth capacity (RGC) and root viability by the reduction of triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings were measured in the winter and spring after freeze‐induced stress (0, ‐10, ‐15, ‐20°C). After freezing, seedlings were also stressed with different storage temperatures, and drying. Field performance during two years at two sites was used to determine the prediction abilities of the two test methods. RGC and TTC differed between the winter and spring tests. Coefficients of variation (CV) for RGC were larger in the winter than in the spring. The opposite applied for TTC. RGC was significantly lower in the winter than in the spring. TTC reduction was lower in the spring than in the winter. RGC‐ and TTC‐values decreased as freezing temperatures were lowered. Correlation coefficients between treatment means of RGC and TTC were low. Coefficients of determination (r ²) of linear regressions of RGC to the field performance attributes, first and second year diameter increment, height increment, and survival, were between 0.30 and 0.40. For TTC the revalues ranged from 0.50 to 0.80. In general, the TTC‐method seemed to be a better indicator of Scots pine seedling performance in the field.     

Effect of CCC on the morphology and growth potential of containerised silver birch seedlings

The objective of the experiment described here was to assess the effect of the synthetic growth regulator CCC on the quality of containerised silver birch seedlings. The time course of stem elongation during the growing season, the morphology and size of the seedlings at the end of the growing season, and the growth potential after winter storage were measured and the following results obtained: (1) Stem height, root-collar diameter and total dry weight of the seedlings were decreased by CCC. (2) Stem-height:root-collar-diameter ratio was slightly decreased and root weight ratio was increased by CCC. (3) Stem flexibility was not significantly affected by CCC, although it was significantly correlated with total plant dry weight and with the stem-height:root-collar-diameter ratio. (4) Root-growth potential was decreased at high doses of CCC while shoot growth potential was not affected.     

Field performance of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings planted in disc trenched or mounded sites over an extended planting season

Economic pressures have driven an ever-widening period during which foresters use machines to plant Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings. In Fennoscandia, this period has recently stretched to the entire growing season. To evaluate the performance of seedlings planted during this extended period, three experiments were carried out in Central and Northern Finland over 2 years. One-year-old and current-year seedlings were planted in mounds or disc-trenched furrows when soil temperatures were >0°C. When 1-year-old seedlings grown for spring planting and overwintered outdoors were planted after mid-June, more needles browned and growth was reduced, possibly because seedlings were oversized with respect to planting density and the volume of growth media. When current-year seedlings sown in spring were planted from July to November, those planted in late September and October grew less in later years than those planted earlier, but survival was unaffected. No large differences in field performance were found with respect to whether seedlings were planted in mounds or disc-trenched furrows. In conclusion, Scots pine seedlings can be machine planted in mounds or furrows during May and early June (later in the North) and then continued from early August until late September, provided climatic conditions in late spring and early autumn are typical and similar to those experienced in Central Finland.     

福建柏全光圃地育苗技术研究

采用全光圃地育苗技术，进行了不同海拔高度、不同播种时间、切根、移植等多项试验。海拔４００ｍ冬播苗生长最好，一年生平均苗高２７．６ｃｍ，最高４１ｃｍ；平均径粗０３７ｃｍ，最高０５１ｃｍ。其根系发育、干鲜重等生物量指标均优于春播、移植、切根不同方式培育的苗木。     

Effects of soil temperature on shoot and root growth and nutrient uptake of 5-year-old Norway spruce seedlings

Soil temperature is a main factor limiting root growth in the boreal forest. To simulate the possible soil-warming effect of future climate change, 5-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings were subjected to three simulated growing seasons in controlled environment rooms. The seedlings were acclimated to a soil temperature of 16 degrees C during the first (GS I) and third growing seasons (GS III), but were assigned to random soil-temperature treatments of 9, 13, 18 and 21 degrees C during the second growing season (GS II). In GS II, shoot diameter growth was lowest in the 21 degrees C treatment and root growth was lowest in the 9 degrees C treatment. In GS III, shoot height and root length growth improved in seedlings that had been kept at 9 degrees C during GS II, indicating compensatory growth in response to increased soil temperature. The temporary decrease in soil temperature had no long-lasting significant effect on seedling biomass or total nutrient uptake. At the end of GS III, fine roots of seedlings exposed to a soil temperature of 21 degrees C in GS II were distributed more evenly between the organic and mineral soil layers than roots of seedlings in the other treatments. During GS II and GS III, root growth started earlier than shoot growth, decreased during the rapid shoot elongation phase and increased again as shoot growth decreased.     

楠木人工育苗试验研究

采用楠木撒播与条播及遮荫与不遮荫的育苗对比试验,结果表明：楠木苗木生长可分为出苗期、幼苗期、速生期和生长后期4个阶段。出苗期,从3月上旬～4月上旬;幼苗期,从4月上旬～6月上旬;速生期,从6月上旬～10月上旬;生长后期,从10月中旬～12月中旬。不同播种方式对苗木出苗率有一定影响,条播出苗率高于撒播;对苗木高和地径生长...     

First-year growth response of cold-stored,nursery-grown aspen planting stock

This research examined the first year growth characteristics of cold stored and transplanted nursery-produced aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings (container and bareroot (BR)) and compared it to the growth of seedlings that had not been transplanted (established from germinants in the field) and therefore had an unrestricted root system (UR). Prior to planting, nursery-produced seedlings were placed in cold storage (−3°C) and root growth potential (RGP) and total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) root reserves were tested at 0, 10, 75 and after 150 (container) and 190 days (BR) of storage. Both container and BR stock had much lower root to shoot ratios (RSRs) and root carbohydrate reserves compared to UR seedlings after 170 days. During storage, root reserves in container stock declined faster than in the BR and UR seedlings. RGP in all nursery stock was the highest after 75 days of storage, while longer storage resulted in shoot dieback and reduced root growth. After the first growing season, UR seedlings were one tenth the size of the nursery stock; however, in the second growing season they had no stem dieback and grew twice the height and stem diameter. The higher RSRs and root reserves in the UR seedlings was likely caused by early bud set in its first year of growth. This suggests that inducing bud set earlier in the growing regime might allow seedlings to increase root mass and carbohydrate reserves.     

Freezing temperatures in the root zone—effects on growth of containerized Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies seedlings

Roots of 1‐year‐old containerized seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) were experimentally frozen in December. The seedlings were then grown for 3 weeks in a growth chamber and evaluated with regard to root growth capacity (RGC) and shoot elongation. The subsequent RGC of Scots pine declined as root zone temperatures were lowered from ‐6°C to ‐11°C and from ‐11°C to ‐16°C. Almost no root growth was observed after exposure to ‐20°C. Shoot growth was also negatively affected by low root temperatures but less than root growth. Low root temperatures did not affect Norway spruce as much as Scots pine, although root and shoot growth of Norway spruce were reduced after exposure to the lowest test temperatures (‐16°C and ‐20°C). The length of exposure, ranging between 1 and 8 hours had no effect on subsequent growth.     

Productivity and nutrient uptake of newly released wheat varieties at different sowing times under poplar plantation in north-western India

Standardisation of cultural practises is one of the primary objectives to make the system ecologically sustainable and economically viable. In this context, the present study was conducted to optimise the time of sowing in relation to newly released wheat varieties under 4–6 year old poplar block plantation. Six widely grown wheat varieties (PBW 502, PBW 343, WH 542, PDW 274, PBW 509 and PBW 373) were intercultivated during three consecutive crop growth seasons at three times of sowing (mid November, late November and mid December) under block plantation of poplar (Populus deltoides Bartr.) clone G-48. The grain yield and nutrient uptake of wheat varieties was higher in open conditions than under the trees. The wheat variety PBW 502 out yielded the rest of wheat varieties over different sowing times. The highest grain yield was recorded when crop was sown during mid November over the 3 years. Thus adoption of PBW 502 under poplar plantation would substantially improve the overall productivity of the system without any additional input cost. All the varieties performed better when sown early compared to one-month delay. The various growth parameters like tiller height and number, spike length and 100 grain weight contributed significantly towards higher grain yield in early sown conditions (mid November) under poplar irrespective of its age of plantation. The nutrient uptake (N, P and K) by wheat straw and grain was higher in early sown crop with longer growth span than the late sown crop. The higher quantity of N, P and K was removed from soil by PBW 509, PBW 373 and PBW 343, respectively.     

Effect of sowing date on seedling emergence of species with seeds enclosed in a stony endocarp

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the natural sequence of temperature conditions between the time of seed sowing and their germination on dormancy release of Prunus avium, P. mahaleb, P. divaricata, P. laurocerasus, P. spinosa, Cornus mas, C. sanguinea, and Celtis australis seeds which are enclosed in a hard stony endocarp. According to their collection date, the seeds (with the endocarp) of the above species were sown outdoor in summer, autumn, and winter and the number of emerged seedlings was counted during the following two springs. For all species, the first sowing date was immediately after seed collection and cleaning. In all species, seedling emergence occurred in early spring and dormancy was released only after the exposure of seeds to specific season conditions. The exposure of seeds of all studied species, except C. australis, to a period of warm temperatures prior to winter was necessary for dormancy breaking and germination. Autumn sowing of P. laurocerasus and C. sanguinea seeds, which were collected in summer, and the sowing immediately after seed collection of the rest species, resulted in a maximum percentage of seedling emergence in the following spring.     

Sexual Reproduction of European Aspen (Populus tremula L.) at Prescribed Burned Site: The Effects of Moisture Conditions

Aspen (Populus tremula) is capable of reproducing both sexually and asexually from root suckers, the latter being more common. Seedlings are rare even though potential seed production is enormous. The aim of this study was to find out how different moisture conditions affect emergence and survival of aspen seedlings on burned soil. We set up a sowing experiment on mineral soil and on humus. The sowing was done at 240 microsites (θ7 cm) in 15 blocks (1×1 m). Treatments were sowing time, watering and sowing shelter. A total of 1463 seedlings emerged on mineral soil and 26 on humus. Watering, covering, their interaction, block and sowing time had significant effects on the number of seedlings. The largest numbers of seedlings were recorded at microsites that were watered and covered. The survival of seedlings was 20% during the growing season and 45% over winter. We conclude that seedbed conditions and moisture are the most essential factors for sexual reproduction of aspen. Short-term weather conditions have an important effect on seedling emergence and are likely to greatly affect field studies.     

Vascular cambial sucrose metabolism and growth in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in relation to transplanting stress

Sucrose synthase (SS) was the dominant enzyme of sucrose metabolism in both stem and root vascular cambial zone tissues of nursery-grown loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings. Acid invertase (AI) and neutral invertase (NT) activities were generally less than 10% of the SS activity in both tissues. In both cambial tissues, seasonal patterns of enzyme activity were observed for SS but not for AI or NI. The seasonal patterns of SS activity in stem and root cambia paralleled the periodic growth of stems and roots. Stems had high SS activity and growth during summer and early fall. Roots had substantial SS activity and growth during summer and fall, but SS activity and growth were even higher in winter. When seedlings were transplanted, about eight months elapsed before stem and root cambia resumed rates of growth and sucrose metabolism similar to those in control nontransplanted seedlings. Two months after transplanting, root SS was at its lowest, whereas AI activity in transplants was 50% higher than in control nontransplanted seedlings. In stems, SS activity decreased in response to transplanting, whereas AI and NI activities did not change appreciably. In loblolly pine tissues, SS was specific for uridylates, whereas the nucleotide triphosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (NTP-PFK) had similar activity with either UTP or ATP. Except in winter, the NTP-PFK was less active than the pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (PPi-PFK) during all seasons. The PPi-dependent PFK activity in nontransplanted seedlings followed similar seasonal and spatial patterns to those of SS activity. In actively growing tissues, such as stem cambial tissues in summer and root cambial tissues in winter, the measured total PFK to SS ratio ranged between 1.5/1 and 3/1. In contrast, in less actively growing tissues or transplanted seedlings, a greater decrease occurred in SS than in PFK activity, hence the ratio rose to as high as 12/1. It was concluded that: (1) SS was the dominant enzyme for sucrose metabolism in root and stem cambial tissues of loblolly pine seedlings; (2) both SS and PPi-PFK in the cambial tissues can be used as biochemical indicators of growth sink strength in stems and roots; and (3) both enzymes can be used as indicators of seedling stress caused by events such as transplanting and winter freezing.     

Infection of Scots pine seedlings by Gremmeniella abietina during summer under different inoculum potential

The connection between natural conidia dispersal of Gremmeniella abietina (A‐type) and the disease incidence and severity in first and second year conifer seedlings of Pinus sylvestris was studied in central Finland. The seedlings where exposed to natural infection for a 3‐week period throughout the growth season, followed by a 3‐week incubation period in a growth chamber to promote symptom expression. In second year seedlings the infection periods in May–June had a similar effect as regards disease outbreak and roughly half of the successful infections occurred during these periods. However, the first year seedlings were more severely diseased after the infection period in late July/early August, although the inoculum density was lower during this time compared with the period in late June/early July. This result is consistent with earlier studies. The effect of age and growth phase of the seedlings, temperature sum and the number of conidia on the disease occurrence is discussed and compared with the results of earlier studies in which artificial inoculation was employed.     

Ash-fertilization improves germination and early establishment of birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) seedlings on a cut-away peatland

Common objectives of afforestation of cut-away peatlands are the diminution of nutrition loads and the production of energy wood in an efficient and economic way. We studied the effect of fertilization and afforestation methods on the early establishment of downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) seedlings on a cut-away peatland. Six treatments of peat-ash, wood-ash, biotite, or PK-fertilizer were replicated in three blocks in different mixtures corresponding to 50 kg/ha of phosphorous. Birch seeds were sown in randomized halves of split plots, while other halves were naturally afforested. Natural afforestation was equal to sowing in terms of seedling amounts due to closeness of surrounding birch stands with abundant seed crops. After the first growing season the greatest quantities and dominant heights of birch seedlings appeared on the ash-fertilized plots, whereas on the unfertilized areas both the establishment and growth of seedlings was very poor. On the other hand, the quantity of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings was more than three times higher on the unfertilized areas compared to the ash-fertilized areas. The differences between the fertilized and the unfertilized areas accentuated during the four observation years. Our results support regular use of ash-fertilizers for the afforestation of cut-away peatlands instead of the ash being deposited as a waste in landfills.     

The effect of short day treatments on containerized Douglas-fir morphology,physiology and phenology

The effect of short day treatments (blackout) on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) container seedlings at the time of lift and following cold storage was investigated. Variables measured included height, root collar diameter (RCD), root growth capacity (RGC), photosynthetic efficiency after –18 °C freezing (PEF), and days to terminal bud break (DBB). From one to four blackout dormancy induction treatments were started on three dates (July 12, July 26, and August 10) with 10 or 20 d between multiple blackouts. Increasing the number of blackout treatments resulted in lower RCD, lower DBB in the late winter/early spring, and higher PEF in the early fall. Later blackout start dates decreased PEF in the early fall, and increased overall height and late fall RGC as compared to earlier blackout start dates. Nurseries growing Douglas-fir seedlings from coastal Pacific Northwest provenances should be aware that blackout regimes can decrease RGC in the late fall, and cause quicker dormancy release in the early spring. Coastal Douglas-fir can be lifted and planted in the early fall, when RGC and DBB are relatively high. If planting between February and April is necessary, seedlings given blackout should be cold stored in January to maintain an adequate level of dormancy, RGC and PEF.     

Effects of different soil treatments on growth and net nitrogen uptake of newly planted Picea abies (L.) Karst. seedlings

Five soil treatments in a 4-year-old clearcut in southern Sweden affected biomass increase and net nitrogen uptake by planted Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings through their on net mineralisation and root growth. The patch soil treatments studied were: (i) soil inversion in an old clearcut; (ii) mineral soil from the clearcut remaining, (iii) mineral soil from the clearcut with fertiliser application during the first season; (iv) mineral soil from a nearby uncut forest replacing the clearcut mineral soil; and (v) an untreated control. Growth increased in seedlings in treatments (i) and (iii), but growth in soil treatments with humus removal was not better than that of seedlings in untreated soil. High N uptake early in the first growing season resulted in increased growth during this season in contrast to late N uptake that resulted in a high N concentration in the seedlings after the first growing season. This in turn led to a high growth rate during the next growing season. Generally, both root growth and net N mineralisation were positively correlated to N uptake in the soil treatments. Therefore, a combination of low net N mineralisation and poor root growth as a result of high soil density appears to explain the low N uptake in seedlings in undisturbed soil. The importance of competition with field vegetation for N and water was not clear. Net mineralisation was larger in soil treatments where the humus layer was retained than where it was removed. Net N mineralisation in soil from old clearcuts was the same as in soil from fresh clearcuts.     

Date of sowing and emergence timing affect growth and development of loblolly pine seedlings

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seeds were sown from February to June in Alabama, U.S.A. If sowing was conducted in May or June, seedling emergence was reduced and seedling mortality increased. Seedlings from earlier sowings grew to greater sizes, but seedlings from later sowings grew later into the fall. Within any given sowing date, the earliest seedlings to emerge grew largest. Seedlings from the February sowing formed buds in mid-summer, flushed, and in some instances flushed yet again. However, by early October, not all seedlings from May and June sowings had formed an initial bud.     

Growth, allocation and tissue chemistry of Picea abies seedlings affected by nutrient supply during the second growing season

One-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings were grown hydroponically in a growth chamber to investigate the effects of low and high nutrient availability (LN; 0.25 mM N and HN; 2.50 mM N) on growth, biomass allocation and chemical composition of needles, stem and roots during the second growing season. Climatic conditions in the growth chamber simulated the mean growing season from May to early October in Flakaliden, northern Sweden. In the latter half of the growing season, biomass allocation changed in response to nutrient availability: increased root growth and decreased shoot growth led to higher root/shoot ratios in LN seedlings than in HN seedlings. At high nutrient availability, total biomass, especially stem biomass, increased, as did total nonstructural carbohydrate and nitrogen contents per seedling. Responses of stem chemistry to nutrient addition differed from those of adult trees of the same provenance. In HN seedlings, concentrations of alpha-cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin decreased in the secondary xylem. Our results illustrate the significance of retranslocation of stored nutrients to support new growth early in the season when root growth and nutrient uptake are still low. We conclude that nutrient availability alters allocation patterns, thereby influencing the success of 2-year-old Norway spruce seedlings at forest planting sites.