Relationship between spacing and nitrogen fertilization of seedlings in the nursery, seedling mineral nutrition, and outplanting performance

1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. van den Driessche

Three nitrogen (N) levels and six seedling spacings were applied factorially in a randomized block design, of four replications, to coastal and interior varieties of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), Sitka spruce (Piceasitchensis (Bong.) Carr), and lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta Dougl.) in the nursery. After growing for 2 years in the nursery, seedling dimensions, dry weights, and needle N, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) concentrations were determined. At the same time, samples of 400 trees per treatment were planted into the forest using the nursery design. Three years after outplanting, survival and height measurements were obtained for all species and, in addition, dry weights and nutrient concentrations for the coastal Douglas-fir. Both an increase in N fertilizer and wider spacing increased 2-year-old (2–0) seedling needle percent N, except in lodgepole pine. Wider spacing also increased percent P in interior Douglas-fir and percent K in lodgepole pine. Within the highest N fertilizer level the amount of variation in needle percent N accounted for by spacing was 75% in coastal Douglas-fir, 78% in interior Douglas-fir, and 92% in Sitka spruce. Needle percent N in 2–0 coastal Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce was positively correlated with survival (r2 = 0.24 and 0.35, respectively), total height (r2 = 0.48 and 0.61, respectively), and current height growth (r2 = 0.31 and 0.51, respectively) after 3 years in the forest. The relationships of spacing to 2–0 seedling percent N, and of 2–0 seedling percent N to outplanting performance indicated that, at least for Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce, spacing influenced outplanting performance through its effect on N nutrition. During 3 years in the forest, coastal Douglas-fir trees had maintained closely similar relative growth rates (RGR) in all treatments. Consequently, relative differences in 2–0 seedling dry weight between treatments of about threefold between 0.6- and 12-cm spacing and twofold between 60 and 235 kg N/ha fertilizer levels, had been maintained. After 3 years in the forest there were no differences in nutrient concentrations between nursery N treatments, indicating that reserves available at lifting had been dissipated, but nutrient concentrations tended to decrease with wider spacing. This suggested some unidentified wide spacing effect was promoting growth and causing nutrient dilution in the tissue.

1980 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. van den Driessche

A 5N × 5P factorial fertilizer experiment was conducted on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seed beds at Campbell River nursery on northern Vancouver Island. Nutrient concentrations were measured in soil and seedlings. After 2 years of growth, trees were lifted from each treatment in mid-November and again in mid-February for storage. All were planted out in April and grown for 2 years. Seedling dry weight and height in the nursery were significantly affected by N fertilizer treatment, but not by P fertilizer, although seedling tissue P concentrations were low (0.09-0.17%) and available soil P was significantly increased by treatment. Largest seedlings resulted from application of 50-75 kg N/ha during the 1st year of growth and 100-150 kg N/ha during the 2nd year. Seedling dry weight was correlated with tissue N concentration (r = 0.73-0.75) and greatest dry weight was associated with a 1-0 shoot N or a 2-0 foliar N concentration of 2%. Survival and height 2 years after planting out were significantly affected by N fertilizer treatment in the nursery, and the nursery treatments resulting in largest seedlings yielded the highest survival and height. However the N concentration of 2-0 seedlings was not closely correlated with survival or height, and shoot dry weight was the most useful nursery measurement for predicting these values (r = 0.49). Fertilization did not affect cold hardiness and hardiness of trees was essentially the same at both lifting dates. Survival at 2 years after planting was unaffected by lifting date.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (02) ◽  
pp. 121-128
Author(s):  
Devi Liana ◽  
Heni Purnamawati ◽  
Maya Melati ◽  
Yudiwanti Wahyu

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is one of the potential substitutes of soybean due to its similar nutritional content. This study aims to determine the optimum rate of N fertilizer for the production of cowpea, and to determine the effects of the interaction between N fertilizer rates and goat manure application on cowpea production. The experiment was organized in a split-plot with a complete randomized block design with three replications. The main plot was goat manure, i.e. 0 and 5 tons.ha-1; the sub-plot was nitrogen fertilizer with five rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200% of the recommended rate), i.e. 0, 22.5, 45, 67.5, and 90 kg N.ha-1. Application of N fertilizer reduced the 100-seed weight and slightly reduced cowpea yield and yield components. Application of goat manure increased seed dry weight per plant, number of pods per plant, dry pod weight per plant, seed dry weight per m2, productivity, 100-seed weight, and the harvest index. There was no significant interaction between goat manure and different rates of nitrogen in affecting cowpea growth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
F. Mintah ◽  
Y. Z. Mohammed ◽  
S. Lamptey ◽  
B. D. K. Ahiabor

Inoculating groundnut and cowpea with highly effective and competitive rhizobial strain improves nodulation. A field experiment was carried out at the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, to evaluate the growth and yield responses of cowpea and groundnut to five rhizobial inoculant strains in the Guinea Savanna zone. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with eight (8) treatments replicated four (4) times. The treatments included five rhizobial inoculant strains (NC 92, KNUST 1002, KNUST 1003, KNUST 1006, and BR 3267), two N fertilizer levels (20 kg·N/ha and 40 kg·N/ha), and a control. The results showed that rhizobial inoculation and N fertilizer application increased nodulation, biomass yield, pod number, pod weight, hundred seed weight, nodule dry weight, and pod yield of groundnut compared with the control. Rhizobial inoculation averagely increased the nodulation and yield by 63 and 67%, respectively, compared with the control. Mineral N fertilizer (20 kg N/ha) on average increased the nodulation and yield by 24 and 25%, respectively, compared with the control plots. It can be recommended from this study that, in the absence of highly competitive rhizobial strains such as KNUST 1006 and NC 92 as biofertilizers for increasing the nodulation and yield of cowpea and groundnut, 20 kg·N/ha can be used for the purpose. Further research is recommended using these rhizobial strains in combination with lower rates of N fertilizers (<20 kg·ha−1).


1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 740-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. van den Driessche

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta Dougl.), and white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings, each represented by two seed lots, were grown in Styroblock containers in a greenhouse and plastic shelter house from February 1989 to January 1990. The seedlings were exposed to two nitrogen (N) treatments and three potassium (K) treatments arranged factorially within three drought treatments. After winter storage, seedlings from a complete set of treatments were planted into hygric, mesic, and xeric sand beds during 12–14 March. Increasing nursery drought stress increased survival of Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine after planting, and high N treatment level increased survival of lodgepole pine and white spruce. Under xeric conditions, combined nursery drought and high N treatments increased survival of lodgepole pine by 33%, indicating the importance of nursery cultural regime for stock quality. Increase in nursery drought decreased seedling size relatively little, but increase in N increased seedling size one season after planting. A positive relationship between shoot/root ratio and survival in lodgepole pine and white spruce indicated that increase in N increased both shoot growth and drought resistance over the N range investigated. Only Douglas-fir showed an interaction between drought and N treatment and a small response in both survival and dry weight to K. Root growth capacity, measured at the time of planting, showed an approximate doubling in all species due to high N treatment, and was also increased in white spruce by drought stress. Survival and root growth capacity were poorly correlated, but dry-weight growth in sand beds was well correlated with root growth capacity. Shoot dry weight and percent N in shoots measured after nursery growth were correlated with root growth capacity. Manipulation of root growth capacity by changing nursery treatment was apparently possible without altering resistance to drought stress after planting.


1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 555-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. van den Driessche

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta Dougl.), and white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings were grown in Styroblock containers in a container nursery from February to July 1988 and then exposed to three temperatures and three levels of drought stress applied factorially during 18 July to 29 September 1988. Mean temperatures of 13, 16, and 20 °C were imposed in growth chambers, in a cooled plastic house, and in an ambient plastic house, respectively. Control, medium, and severe levels of drought stress were imposed in a series of eight cycles, resulting in mean xylem pressure potentials of −0.32, −0.50, and −0.99 MPa, respectively. Seedlings were kept in the ambient plastic house until January, when they were lifted and cold-stored until planting. Between 11 and 18 April 1989, seedlings were planted in 0.5 m deep sand beds, which provided hygric, mesic, and xeric conditions for testing all species and treatments. At the end of nursery growth, increase in nursery temperature increased height and height:diameter ratio in all species and shoot:root dry weight ratio in Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine. Increase in temperature also increased the number of seedlings with large well-formed buds in white spruce, but reduced the number in Douglas-fir. Drought stress reduced height and dry weight in all species and bud length in lodgepole pine. After 9 weeks in sand beds, low nursery temperature increased survival (19% for lodgepole pine and white spruce grown in the xeric bed), except for Douglas-fir grown in the xeric bed. Nursery drought stress also increased survival (16% for Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine in the xeric bed), but had little effect on white spruce. Low temperature and drought stress treatments that increased survival also reduced height and dry weight of lodgepole pine and white spruce after one growing season in sand beds. Survival showed significant negative correlations with height, dry weight, and height:diameter and shoot:root weight ratios. Low nursery temperature continued to affect growth after planting, increasing relative growth rate and allometric ratio (K) of Douglas-fir and decreasing K of white spruce.


Poljoprivreda ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
Issukindarsyah Issukindarsyah ◽  
◽  
Endang Sulistyaningsih ◽  
DidikIndradewa Indradewa ◽  
Eka Tarwaca Susila Putra

The study’s objective was to determine the effect of the NO3-: NH4+ratio and types of support on NPK uptake and pepper plant growth in field conditions. The study used a completely randomized block design with three replications. The first factor was the type of support, being the deadwood and living supports in the form of Gliricidia sp. and Ceiba pentandra. The second factor was the ratio of N fertilizer forms, which were 100% NO3-, 100% NH4+, 50% NO3-:50% NH4+, 75% NO3-:25% NH4+ and 25% NO3-:75% NH4+. The results have demonstrated that the uptake of N, P, and K, as well as the plant growth, were not affected by the interaction of the N fertilizer form ratio with the types of support. In field conditions, the black pepper prefers the N fertilizer in the form of 50% NO3-:50% NH4+. The pepper plants that were given N fertilizer in a combination of 50% NO3-:50% NH4+ have demonstrated an N, P, and K uptake, and morphology and plant dry weight were higher than the ratio of other forms of N fertilizers.


HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 799-807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gladis M. Zinati ◽  
John Dighton ◽  
Arend-Jan Both

We tested the effects of using an inoculum containing natural ericoid roots and soil (NERS) with two fertilizer and irrigation rates on plant growth, shoot (stems and leaves) nutrient concentration, leachate quality, and mycorrhizal colonization of container-grown Coast Leucothoe [Leucothoe axillaris (Lam.) D. Don] and Japanese Pieris [Pieris japonica (Thunb.) D. Don ex G. Don]. Uniform rooted liners were grown in 10.8-L containers in a pine bark, peatmoss, and sand (8:1:1 by volume) substrate medium in a randomized complete block design with four replications. A controlled-release fertilizer, Polyon® Plus 14-16-8 (14N–7P–6.6K), was incorporated in the substrate medium at the 100% manufacturer's recommended fertilizer rate [representing high fertilizer rate (HF)] (56 g per container) to supply 7.84 g nitrogen (N) and at 50% the manufacturer's recommended rate [representing low fertilizer rate (LF)]. Plants were irrigated using a cyclic drip irrigation system at high (HI) and low (LI) irrigation rates calibrated to supply 25.2 L of water and 16.8 L per week, respectively. On average, NERS inoculation increased shoot growth of Leucothoe and Pieris by 56% and 60%, respectively. Shoots of Leucothoe inoculated with NERS had higher N, phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), and manganese (Mn) concentrations than non-inoculated plants. At LF, nitrous-N (NOx-N) and orthophosphorus (PO4-P) concentrations in the leachate were reduced by 53% from Leucothoe and 62% from Pieris compared with HF-treated plants. A reduction of 37% and 36% in PO4-P concentration in leachates from Leucothoe and Pieris, respectively, were achieved at the reduced irrigation (LI) rate. The NERS inoculation reduced PO4-P concentrations in leachate from Leucothoe by 26% and NOx-N concentration by 33% in leachates from Pieris compared with non-inoculated plants. Compared with plants grown in the HI–HF treatment, the combination of LI–LF treatment reduced NOx-N concentrations in leachates from Leucothoe by 60% (P = 0.016) and reduced PO4-P leachate concentrations from Pieris by 72% (P = 0.0096). Decreasing the fertilizer rate to 50% of the recommended rate and the irrigation rate to 67% of the recommended rate in conjunction with the incorporation of NERS reduced leachate nutrient concentrations of two main water pollutants (NOx-N and PO4-P). Adopting the practice of adding NERS containing fungi and bacteria can be an effective system to increase shoot dry weight, allow reduction in fertilizer application, conserve water for irrigation, and minimize subsequent nutrient runoff in nursery operations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 633-643
Author(s):  
AUREANE CRISTINA TEIXEIRA FERREIRA CÂNDIDO ◽  
MARCO ANTONIO CAMILLO DE CARVALHO ◽  
RICARDO ADRIANO FELITO ◽  
ADRIANO MALTEZO DA ROCHA ◽  
OSCAR MITSUO YAMASHITA

ABSTRACT Co-inoculation consists of using microorganism combinations with synergic effect that surpass the results obtained with their use alone. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of inoculation and co-inoculation on soybean plants, and their residual effect on maize plants grown intercropped with ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis), under different N fertilizer rates. The experiment was conducted at the experimental area of the Mato Grosso State University, Alta Floresta campus, in a Typic Hapludox. A randomized block design was used for the soybean crops; the treatments consisted of Bradyrhizobium japonicum inoculated single, or co-inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense, with 20 replications. A randomized block design in a strip-plot arrangement was used for the winter maize-ruzigrass intercrop (WMRI); the treatments consisted of combination of residual effect of inoculation and co-inoculation in the strips, and five N fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha-1) in plots with WMRI, with four replications. The co-inoculation of soybean seeds and its residual effect on the maize crops increased the root dry weight of plants of both crops; however, no increases were found for most vegetative and reproductive characteristics of maize plants. Yield and most characteristics evaluated had increasing linear responses to increases in N rates, indicating the plants could respond to rates above 200 kg ha-1.


1982 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy Molina

Four isolates of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccarialaccata (Scop. ex Fr.) Berk and Br. were inoculated singly onto containerized Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), ponderosa pine (Pinusponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.), Sitka spruce (Piceasitchensis (Bong.) Carr.), and western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) seedlings to detect ecotypic variation in colonization success and effects on seedling growth. All isolates formed well-developed ectomycorrhizae on all inoculated seedlings. Abundance ratings of short roots colonized did not differ between the four isolates for any conifer species; most inoculated seedlings developed ectomycorrhizae on over 80% of their short roots. There were also no differences between isolates in affecting seedling height, stem diameter, and dry weight of tops and roots for all conifer species. Inoculations did not improve seedling growth over uninoculated controls. Uninoculated controls of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine had significantly greater dry weight than their inoculated seedlings; growth of Sitka spruce and western hemlock seedlings was not affected by any inoculation treatment. Laccarialaccata vigorously colonized the entire container rooting substrate and appears a prime candidate for artificial ectomycorrhizal inoculation of containerized western conifers.


1982 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 865-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. van den Driessche

Nursery sowings of coastal and interior varieties of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), Sitka spruce (Piceasitchensis (Bong) Carr), and lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta Dougl.) were thinned to different spacings 5 weeks after germination. Spacings in the drills, which were 15 cm apart, were 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 cm, with the nursery sowing rate (about 0.6-cm spacing) as control. Spacings were applied factorially with three levels of N fertilizer: 60, 140, and 235 kg N ha−1. Two-year-old seedlings were planted out at Campbell River (coastal Douglas-fir) and Port Alice (Sitka spruce), both on Vancouver Island, and at Lyne Creek (interior Douglas-fir) in the Cariboo region and at Fulton Lake (lodgepole pine) in the Prince Rupert region of British Columbia. Wider spacing and greater N supply increased 2-0 seedling dry weight, root-collar diameter, and shoot height and also affected distribution of dry matter between needles, stems, and roots. Wider spacing increased survival of outplanted interior Douglas-fir by 12%. Survival of coastal Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce species was high and only increased 4 to 7% due to wide spacing after one season, but after three seasons wide spacing increased survival 17 – 19%. Compared with control, 12-cm spacing increased first-season shoot growth 53% for coastal Douglas-fir, 82% for interior Douglas-fir, and 71% for Sitka spruce. Second-season shoot growth of lodgepole pine was increased 92% by the widest spacing. Much of the improved growth was explained in terms of increased seedling size. At the highest level of N supply, increasing spacing to 4 cm did not greatly reduce yield of seedlings with root-collar diameters greater than 3 mm, except for interior Douglas-fir. Thus moderate increase in spacing improved quality without materially reducing yield of seedlings per unit area of nursery. Nursery fertilization at 235 kg N ha−1 increased new-shoot growth one season after planting by 36–58% compared with the 60 kg N ha−1 level. After three seasons the effect of higher N supply was reduced to 0–42%. High N level increased survival of coastal Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce slightly, but decreased survival of interior Douglas-fir.


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