%0 Research article
%T Nutrient loading has a transitory effect on the nitrogen status and growth of outplanted Norway spruce seedlings
%A Heiskanen, Juha
%A Lahti, Markku
%A Luoranen, Jaana
%A Rikala, Risto
%D 2009
%J Silva Fennica
%V 43
%N 2
%R doi:10.14214/sf.210
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/210
%X In recent years increased fertilization provided to tree seedlings in  the nursery in the previous autumn has been introduced in order to  promote good outplanting performance. In this paper this nutrient  loading has been studied in order to determine how the increased  seedling nutrient status with unaffected seedling size affects both the  growth and the nutrient concentration, content and uptake of  two-year-old Norway spruce container seedlings (Picea abies (L.)  Karsten) after outplanting. Seedling development was monitored for three  years at two contrasting soil fertility levels on a sandy test field in  two planting years and on one natural forest outplanting site in  central Finland. Nutrient loading was shown to increase shoot and root  growth in a poor fertility soil during the first growing season after  planting, while, after the first growing season, nutrient loading was  not found to affect seedling performance. However, although nutrient  loading cannot compensate for the availability of nutrients to the  seedlings from the soil, it may provide an additional input for fast  plantation establishment on poorer sites during the first crucial  growing season after outplanting.