Yan Ao, Peter M. Hirst, Guolei Li, Yahui Miao, Runzhe Zhang. (2018). Combined effects of provenance and slow-release fertilizer on nursery and field performance of yellowhorn seedlings. Silva Fennica vol. 52 no. 5 article id 10034. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.10034

Keywords: nursery response; field performance; Xanthoceras sorbifolium; plant nutrition; short rotation plantation

Highlights: Combining slow-release fertilizer (SRF) and provenance in the nursery has large effects on most seedling characteristics in yellowhorn; Stem and root P contents in the nursery, and height at the end of the second growing season (T3) in the field were mainly affected by provenance; Higher rates of SRF tended to increase root N, stem and root P contents in the nursery, diameter, and biomass at T3; The combination of AQ provenance with 120–200 mg N seedling^–1 SRF yielding better nursery and field performance was recommended.

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Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge) has been widely planted for biodiesel production in China, but has frequently shown poor field performance. Container-grown yellowhorn seedlings originating from three Chinese provenances, Wengniute Qi (WQ), Alukeerqin Qi (AQ), and Shanxian (SX), were fertilized with slow-release fertilizer (SRF) at 40, 80, 120, 160 or 200 mg N seedling^–1. Tree growth, survival and nutrient content were measured after one year’s growth in a greenhouse followed by two years in a field site. Plants from AQ and SX tended to have higher stem and root P contents in the nursery. Higher rates of SRF increased root N, and stem and root P contents. After one year in the nursery, there were a number of interactions between provenance and SRF for plant growth responses and nutrient content in the nursery, however after two years of additional growth in the field, plants from the different provenances generally responded similarly to applied SRF in the nursery, with few interactions. Final plant height was approximately 10% lower in trees from provenance SX but was not affected by application of SRF. Conversely, final trunk diameter and stem and root biomass were unaffected by provenance but increased with higher rates of applied SRF. Our results indicate that application of SRF may be a useful tool to nutrient load yellowhorn in the nursery and facilitate transplanting performance in the field. Overall, optimal nursery and field performance of yellowhorn were observed in provenance AQ at 120–200 mg N seedling^–1 SRF. We suggest that growers consider a wider range of yellowhorn provenances and SRF rates (above 200 mg N seedling^–1) to yield even better growth response.

Ao, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: aoyan316@163.com
Hirst, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA E-mail: hirst@purdue.edu
Li, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: glli226@163.com
Miao, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: 372902610@qq.com
Zhang, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: 793755837@qq.com

article id 1295, category Research article

Jiaxi Wang, Guolei Li, Jeremiah R. Pinto, Jiajia Liu, Wenhui Shi, Yong Liu. (2015). Both nursery and field performance determine suitable nitrogen supply of nursery-grown, exponentially fertilized Chinese pine. Silva Fennica vol. 49 no. 3 article id 1295. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1295

Keywords: water stress; exponential fertilization; nursery response; field performance

Highlights: Increasing exponential fertilization rates in the nursery increased seedling biomass, N content, and N concentration for Chinese pine seedlings; Second year seedling survival illustrated a curvilinear response to seedling fertilization rates rather than a linear one; Considering both nursery responses to fertilization and field performance after two years yielded a recommended nitrogen supply rate of 80 mg N seedling^–1.

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Optimum fertilization levels are often determined solely from nursery growth responses. However, it is the performance of the seedling on the outplanting site that is the most important. For Pinus species seedlings, little information is known about the field performance of plants cultured with different nutrient rates, especially with exponential fertilization. In this study, Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) seedlings grown in 187 ml containers were fertilized exponentially in 6 treatments ranging from 10 to 120 mg N seedling^–1 for 25 weeks before outplanting. Dry mass and N content were measured at planting. Survival and field growth were monitored for two growing seasons. In the nursery, our data showed no difference in dry mass among the 40, 80, 100, and 120 mg N seedling^–1 fertilizer treatments; collectively, these treatments were significantly greater than at 10 and 20 mg N seedling^–1 treatments. Seedling N content was greatest for the 100 and 120 mg N seedling^–1 rates. These data suggested that nursery optimum N fertilization rate was no less than 100 mg N seedling^–1. Outplanting height and root-collar diameter growth characteristics were not significantly different after two years, whereas maximum mean survival was best for seedlings nursery-fertilized at 80 mg N seedling^–1. In consideration of both nursery and field performance metrics, our data suggest that exponentially fertilizing Chinese pine seedlings at 80 mg N seedling^–1 maximizes both nursery biomass accumulation and outplanting survival.

Wang, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: wjx198979@163.com
Li, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: glli226@163.com
Pinto, US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 1221 South Main Street, Moscow, ID 83843, USA E-mail: jpinto@fs.fed.us
Liu, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: 1044902638@qq.com
Shi, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: shiwenhui2008@163.com
Liu, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: lyong@bjfu.edu.cn

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