Effects of atmospheric humidity and zonal soil water stress on initial growth of planted northern red oak seedlings

Northern red oak (Quercusrubra L.) 1-0 seedlings were planted in plastic tubes with a rubber moisture barrier placed around taproots at midpoint so that upper and lower sections of the root system could be independently watered with polyethylene glycol solutions to induce various soil moisture stress conditions. Trees were also grown at two relative humidity (RH) levels.In the first of two studies, soil moisture stress levels were −1/3, −3, −6 bars (1 bar = 105 Pa), and RH's were 75 and 45%. Root regeneration (largely confined to cut end of lower taproot) and top growth decreased, and dieback of planted stems increased, as soil moisture stress of either upper or lower root sections increased. When both sections were −6 bars, root regeneration was nil.In the second study, upper root soil moisture stress levels included a −12-bar treatment which reduced dry weight of leaves and roots to about one-half that of unstressed plants. However, a unit increase in stress to lower root sections was 1.5 to 4 times more inhibitory to growth than a similar stress to upper root sections. Low RH decreased several measures of seedling growth, increased stem dieback, and prolonged time to budbreak from 6 to 12 days for most soil moisture treatments.These studies demonstrate that root regeneration is very sensitive to soil moisture stress on lower roots, where most of the new roots originate, and moderately sensitive to stress on upper roots and to atmospheric stress on shoots.