Rosa Elvira Madrid-Aispuro, José Ángel Prieto-Ruíz, Arnulfo Aldrete, José Ciro Hernández-Díaz, Christian Wehenkel, Jorge Armando Chávez-Simental, John G. Mexal
(2020)
Alternative Substrates and Fertilization Doses in the Production of Pinus cembroides Zucc. in Nursery
Artificial forest regeneration using nursery produced growing stock is commonplace in the Pacific Northwest. High quality seedlings are needed for outplanting success, which depends on a seedling’s ability to establish new roots and overcome stress. Containerized seedling stock is typically grown in artificial growing media. Peat, a popular component of growing media, is a non-renewable resource. Biochar has similar physical attributes to peat, which makes it a potential alternative. In our study, we grew Douglas-fir seedlings in containers with biochar-amended peat-based growing media to determine if biochar could improve seedling quality. Douglas-fir seeds were sown in March 2016 and seedlings were grown under standard light and temperature conditions at an operational forest nursery for nine months. After nine months, seedling quality was assessed for height, diameter, cold hardiness, and root growth potential. Using biochar did not improve Douglas-fir seedling quality, except for slightly increasing cold hardiness and root growth potential for equivalently sized seedlings. Seedlings grown without biochar had increased height and diameter compared to seedlings with biochar and they had higher root growth potential (all dependent on fertilizer rates). Douglas-fir seedling quality might be improved with biochar amendment if negative growth impacts of soil reaction can be overcome.
Abad, M., Noguera, P., & Burés, S. (2001). National inventory of organic wastes for use as growing media for ornamental potted plant production: case study in Spain. Bioresource Technology, 77(2), 197–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0960-8524(00)00152-8
Beck, E. H., Heim, R., & Hansen, J. (2004). Plant resistance to cold stress: Mechanisms and environmental signals triggering frost hardening and dehardening. Journal of Biosciences, 29(4), 449–459. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02712118
Ben Brahim, M., Loustau, D., Gaudillère, J., & Saur, E. (1996). Effects of phosphate deficiency on photosynthesis and accumulation of starch and soluble sugars in 1-year-old seedlings of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait). Annales Des Sciences Forestières, 53(4), 801–810. https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:19960401
Bi, G., Evans, W., & Fain, G. (2009). Use of pulp mill ash as a substrate component for greenhouse production of marigold. HortScience, 1, 183–187.
Bigras, F. J., Gonzalez, A., D’Aoust, A. L., & Hébert, C. (1996). Frost hardiness, bud phenology and growth of containerized Picea mariana seedlings grown at three nitrogen levels and three temperature regimes. New Forests, 12(3), 243–259. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00027934
Binkley, D., & Fisher, R. (2013). Ecology and management of forest soils.
Blok, C., Van der Salm, C., Hofland-Zijlstra, J., Streminska, M., Eveleens, B., Regelink, I., Fryda, L., & Visser, R. (2017). Biochar for Horticultural Rooting Media Improvement: Evaluation of Biochar from Gasification and Slow Pyrolysis. Agronomy, 7(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy7010006
Bridgwater, V. (2004). Biomass Fast Pyrolysis. Therm Sci, 21–49.
Burdett, A. N. (1979). New methods for measuring root growth capacity: their value in assessing lodgepole pine stock quality. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 9(1), 63–67. https://doi.org/10.1139/x79-011
Burdett, A. N. (1990). Physiological processes in plantation establishment and the development of specifications for forest planting stock. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 20(4), 415–427. https://doi.org/10.1139/x90-059
Burr, K. (1990). The target seedling concepts: bud dormancy and cold hardiness.
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. (n.d.). 79–90.
Chan, K. Y., Van Zwieten, L., Meszaros, I., Downie, A., & Joseph, S. (2008). Using poultry litter biochars as soil amendments. Soil Research, 46(5), 437–444. https://doi.org/10.1071/sr08036
Clough, T., Condron, L., Kammann, C., & Müller, C. (2013). A Review of Biochar and Soil Nitrogen Dynamics. Agronomy, 3(2), 275–293. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy3020275
Colombo, S., Glerum, C., & Webb, D. (1984). Frost hardiness testing: an operational manual for use with extended greenhouse culture.
Davis, A. S., Ross‐Davis, A. L., & Dumroese, R. K. (2011). Nursery Culture Impacts Cold Hardiness in Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Seedlings. Restoration Ecology, 19(6), 717–719. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-100x.2011.00814.x
Tender, D., Debode, C., Vandecasteele, J., B, Hose, D., Cremelie, T., Haegeman, P., Ruttink, A., Dawyndt, T., & P. (2016). Biolgoical, physicochemical and plant health response in lettuce and strawberry in soil or peat amended with biochar. Appl Soil Ecol, 1–12.
Dumroese, R., Montville, M., & Pinto, J. (2015). Using container weights to determine irrigation needs: A simple method. Native Plants J, 67–71.
Dumroese, R. K., Pinto, J. R., Heiskanen, J., Tervahauta, A., McBurney, K. G., Page-Dumroese, D. S., & Englund, K. (2018). Biochar Can Be a Suitable Replacement for Sphagnum Peat in Nursery Production of Pinus ponderosa Seedlings. Forests, 9(5), 232. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9050232
Fernández, M., Marcos, C., Tapias, R., Ruiz, F., & López, G. (2007). Nursery fertilisation affects the frost-tolerance and plant quality of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. cuttings. Annals of Forest Science, 64(8), 865–873. https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2007071
Flint, H. L., Boyce, B. R., & Beattie, D. J. (1967). INDEX OF INJURY—A USEFUL EXPRESSION OF FREEZING INJURY TO PLANT TISSUES AS DETERMINED BY THE ELECTROLYTIC METHOD. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 47(2), 229–230. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjps67-043
Gravel, V., Dorais, M., & Ménard, C. (2013). Organic potted plants amended with biochar: its effect on growth and Pythium colonization. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 93(6), 1217–1227. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjps2013-315
Grossnickle, S. C. (2005). Importance of root growth in overcoming planting stress. New Forests, 30(2–3), 273–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-004-8303-2
Haase, D. (2008). Understanding forest seedling quality: measurements and interpretation. Tree Planter’s Notes, 2, 24–30.
Haase, D. L., Rose, R., & Trobaugh, J. (2006). Field Performance of Three Stock Sizes of Douglas-fir Container Seedlings Grown with Slow-release Fertilizer in the Nursery Growing Medium. New Forests, 31(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-004-5396-6
Headlee, W. L., Brewer, C. E., & Hall, R. B. (2013). Biochar as a Substitute for Vermiculite in Potting Mix for Hybrid Poplar. BioEnergy Research, 7(1), 120–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-013-9355-y
Hernandez, G., Pike, C., Haase, D., Enebak, S., Ma, Z., Clarke, L., & Mackey, L. (2016). Forest nursery seedling production in the United States-fiscal year. Tree Planter’s Notes, 20–24.
Joseph, S., Graber, E., Chia, C., Munroe, P., Donne, S., Thomas, T., Nielsen, S., Marjo, C., Rutlidge, H., Pan, G., Li, L., Taylor, P., Rawal, A., & Hook, J. (2013). Shifting paradigms: development of high-efficiency biochar fertilizers based on nano-structures and soluble components. Carbon Management, 4(3), 323–343. https://doi.org/10.4155/cmt.13.23
Kolton, M., Graber, E. R., Tsehansky, L., Elad, Y., & Cytryn, E. (2016). Biochar‐stimulated plant performance is strongly linked to microbial diversity and metabolic potential in the rhizosphere. New Phytologist, 213(3), 1393–1404. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14253
Laird, D. A., Fleming, P., Davis, D. D., Horton, R., Wang, B., & Karlen, D. L. (2010). Impact of biochar amendments on the quality of a typical Midwestern agricultural soil. Geoderma, 158(3–4), 443–449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2010.05.013
Lehmann, J., & Joseph, S. (2009). Biochar for enivronmental management: science and technology.
Locke, J., Altland, J., & Ford, C. (2013). Gasified rice hull biochar affects nutrition and growth of horticultural crops in container substrates. J Environ Hortic, 4, 195–202.
Long, A. J., & Carrier, B. D. (1993). Effects of Douglas-fir 2+0 seedling morphology on field performance. New Forests, 7(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00037469
Lucas, R., & Davis, J. (1961). Relationships between pH values of organic soils and availabilities of 12 plant nutrients. Soil Sci, 3, 177–182.
Mašek, O., Brownsort, P., Cross, A., & Sohi, S. (2013). Influence of production conditions on the yield and environmental stability of biochar. Fuel, 103, 151–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2011.08.044
Matt, C. P., Keyes, C. R., & Dumroese, R. K. (2018). Biochar effects on the nursery propagation of 4 northern Rocky Mountain native plant species. Native Plants Journal, 19(1), 14–26. https://doi.org/10.3368/npj.19.1.14
Mattsson, A. (1997). Predicting field performance using seedling quality assessment. New Forests, 13(1–3), 227–252. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1006590409595
McCreary, D. D., & Duryea, M. L. (1987). Predicting field performance of Douglas-fir seedlings: comparison of root growth potential, vigor and plant moisture stress. New Forests, 1(3), 153–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00118754
Mendez, A., Paz-Ferreiro, J., Gil, E., & Gasco, G. (2015). The effect of paper sludge and biochar addition on brown peat and coir based growing media properties. Sci Hortic, 225–230.
Mexal, J., & Landis, T. (1990). Target Seedling Symposium combined meeting of the Western Forest Nursery Associations. 17–35.
Michel, J. (2010). The physical properties of peat: a key factor for modern growing media. Mires Peat, 1–6.
Nair, A., & Carpenter, B. (2016). Biochar Rate and Transplant Tray Cell Number Have Implications on Pepper Growth during Transplant Production. HortTechnology, 26(6), 713–719. https://doi.org/10.21273/horttech03490-16
Nemati, M. R., Simard, F., Fortin, J.-P., & Beaudoin, J. (2014). Potential Use of Biochar in Growing Media. Vadose Zone Journal, 14(6), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2014.06.0074
Ritchie, G. (1984). Forest nursery manual: production of bareroot seedlings. 243–266.
Rose, R., & Scott Ketchum, J. (2003). Interaction of initial seedling diameter, fertilization and weed control on Douglas-fir growth over the first four years After Planting. Annals of Forest Science, 60(7), 625–635. https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2003055
Sakai, A., & Weiser, C. J. (1973). Freezing Resistance of Trees in North America with Reference to Tree Regions. Ecology, 54(1), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.2307/1934380
Sarauer, J. L., & Coleman, M. D. (2018). Biochar as a growing media component for containerized production of Douglas-fir. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 48(5), 581–588. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2017-0415
Simpson, D. G., & Ritchie, G. A. (1997). Does RGP predict field performance? A debate. New Forests, 13(1–3), 253–277. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1006542526433
Simpson, D. G., Thompson, C. F., & Sutherland, C. D. (1994). Field performance potential of interior spruce seedlings: effects of stress treatments and prediction by root growth potential and needle conductance. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 24(3), 576–586. https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-076
Taulavuori, K., Taulavuori, E., & Sheppard, L. J. (2014). Truths or myths, fact or fiction, setting the record straight concerning nitrogen effects on levels of frost hardiness. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 106, 132–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2013.12.022
Thompson, B., & Puttonen, P. (1992). Patterns of gas exchange, photosynthate allocation, and root growth during a root growth capacity test. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 22(2), 248–254. https://doi.org/10.1139/x92-032
Yuan, J., Meng, J., Liang, X., E, Y., Yang, X., & Chen, W. (2017). Organic Molecules from Biochar Leacheates Have a Positive Effect on Rice Seedling Cold Tolerance. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.01624
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
