Mechanical shock during transportation: effects on seedling performance

A study was carried out to monitor shocks to seedling planting stock during transport from nursery to the planting site in normal commercial reforestation operations. Size and exact time of mechanical shocks were measured by a recorder placed inside seedling boxes. Seedling shipments by refrigerated semi-trailer, 5-ton truck, pickup truck, small trailer and all-terrain vehicles were monitored in Alberta and British Columbia. Number of shocks, peak acceleration and average drop height were tabulated for travel on both paved and gravel roads.Twenty-two trials involving seven species were established at nurseries and field locations covering several ecological zones in both provinces. Frozen-stored, cool-stored, and freshly lifted seedlings were used in the trials. Seedlings were given two mechanical stress treatments by dropping them 30 times from 0.5-m and 30 times from 1.0-m, respectively. Control seedlings were not dropped. Treatments were applied to nursery-trial seedlings not exposed to normal handling and transport, and to field-trial seedlings after transport to the planting site. Six root growth potential tests were made with treated and control seedlings in conjunction with the nursery trials.Seedling survival and volume growth were recorded for two growing seasons and the results statistically analysed.