Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effectiveness of freezer storage in fulfilling the chilling requirement of fall-lifted ponderosa pine seedlings

  • Published:
New Forests Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The degree to which freezer storage fulfilled the chilling requirement of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) seedlings of two sources was determined by monitoring their development after potting or planting. The seedlings were lifted in September, October, November, or March and subjected to storage before outplanting. The fulfillment of chilling was assessed by measuring days to budbreak, cumulative percentage of seedlings flushing, foliated shoot length, and rate of bud abortion. The effect of freezer storage depended on stage of seedling development at lifting, length of storage, and seed source. Storage did not totally replace winter conditions, especially for seedlings lifted in September and October. Those from a high-elevation seed source flushed sooner than those from a low-elevation source. Delayed budbreak after planting of early lifted seedlings from the high-elevation source disappeared in the second year, but those from the low-elevation source continued to show effects. Seedlings lifted and stored in November had patterns of budbreak that were similar to those of seedlings that had overwintered in beds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Burr, K. E. and Tinus, R. W. 1988. Effect of the timing of cold storage on cold hardiness and root growth potential of Douglas-fir, pp. 133–138. In: Landis, T. D. (Ed) Proceedings: Combined Meeting of the Western Forest Nursery Associations, August 8–11, 1988, Vernon, British Columbia. USDA Forest Serv., Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, Colorado.General Tech. Rep. RM-167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burr, K. E., Tinus, R. W., Wallner, S. J. and King, R. M. 1989. Relationships among cold hardiness, root growth potential and bud dormancy in three conifers. Tree Physiol. 5: 291–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, R K. 1978. Regulation of bud-burst timing by temperature and photoregime during dormancy, pp. 19–39. In: Hollis, C. A. and Squillace, A. E. (Eds) Proceedings: 5th North American Forest Biology Workshop. USDA Forest Serv., Gainesville, Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, R. K. and Sugano, A. I. 1975. Phenology of bud burst in Douglas-fir related to provenance, photoperiod, chilling, and flushing temperature. Bot. Gaz. 136: 290–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, R. K. and Sugano, A. I. 1979. Genecology of bud-burst phenology in Douglas-fir: Response to flushing temperature and chilling. Bot. Gaz. 140: 223–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannell, M. G. R. and Smith, R. I. 1983. Thermal time, chill days and prediction of budburst in Picea sitchensis. J. Appl. Ecol. 10: 951–963.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannell, M. G. R., Tabbush, P. M., Deans, J. D., Hollingsworth, M. K., Sheppard, L. J., Philipson, J. J. and Murray, M. B. 1990. Sitka spruce and Douglas-fir seedlings in the nursery and in cold storage: root growth potential, carbohydrate content, dormancy, frost hardiness and mitotic index. Forestry 63: 9–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, W. C. 1985. Effects of natural chilling and cold storage on budbreak and root growth potential of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Can. J. Forest Res. 15: 651–656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniels, T. G. and Simpson, D. G. 1990. Seedling production and processing: Bareroot, pp. 206–255. In: Lavender, D. P., Parish, R., Johnson, C. M., Montgomery, G., Vyse, A., Willis, R. A. and Winston, D. (Eds) Regenerating British Columbia's Forests. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver.

    Google Scholar 

  • del Real Laborde, J. I. 1987. Estimating chill units at low latitudes. HortScience 22: 1227–1231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebert, A., Petri, J. L., Bender, R. J. and Braga, H. J. 1986. First experiences with chill-unit models in southern Brazil. Acta Hortic. 184: 79–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faulconer, J. R. 1988. Using frost hardiness as an indicator of seedling condition, pp. 89–95. In: Landis, T. D. (Ed) Proceedings: Combined Meeting of the Western Forest Nursery Associations, August 8–11, 1988, Vernon, British Columbia. USDA Forest Serv., Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, Colorado.General Tech. Rep. RM-167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchigami, L. H. and Nee, C. 1987. Degree growth stage model and rest-breaking mechanisms in temperate woody plants. HortScience 22: 836–845.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchigami, L. H., Weiser, C. J., Kobayashi, K., Timmis, R. and Gusta, L. V. 1982. A degree growth stage (°GS) model and cold acclimation in temperate woody plants, pp. 93–116. In: Li, P. H. and Sakai, A. (Eds) Plant Cold Hardiness and Freezing Stress. Vol. 2. Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hänninen, H., Kanninen, M. and Smolander, H. 1985. The annual cycle of forest trees: The Sarvas approach revisited, pp. 195–201. In: Tigerstedt, P. M. A., Puttonen, P. and Koski, V. (Eds) Crop Physiology of Forest Trees. Proceedings of an International Conference on Managing Forest Trees as Cultivated Plants, July 23–28 1984, Helsinki, Finland. University Press, Helsinki.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hänninen, H. and Pelkonen, P. 1988. Does the temperature response of rest break of woody plants change during the development? Can. J. Forest Res. 18: 269–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hee, S. M. 1986. Freezer storage practices at Weyerhaeuser Nurseries, pp. 62–66. In: Landis, T. D. (Ed) Proceedings: Combined Western Forest Nursery Council and Intermountain Nursery Association Meeting, August 12–15 1986, Tumwater, Washington. USDA Forest Serv., Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, Colorado. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinesley, L. E. 1982a. Dormancy in Abies fraseri seedlings at the end of the first growth cycle. Can. J. Forest Res. 12: 374–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinesley, L. E. 1982b. Cold storage of Fraser fir seedlings. For. Sci. 28: 772–776.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hocking, D. and Nyland, R. D. 1971. Cold storage of coniferous seedlings — a review. Applied Forestry Research Institute. College of Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse. Applied Forestry Research Institute Res. Rep. 6, 70 pp.

  • Jenkinson, J. L. 1980. Improving plantation establishment by optimizing growth capacity and planting time of western yellow pines. USDA Forest Serv., Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Sta., Berkeley, California. Res. Pap. PSW-154, 22 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, K. D. and Fuchigami, L. H. 1983. Modeling temperature effects in breaking rest in red-osier dogwood (Corpus sericea L.). Ann. Bot. 52: 205–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, K. D., Fuchigami, L. H. and English, M. J. 1982. Modeling temperature requirements for rest development in Cornus sericea. J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 107: 914–918.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lanner, R. M. and Connor, K. F. 1988. Control of shoot elongation in ponderosa pine: Relative roles of apical and axillary meristems. Tree Physiol. 4: 233–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavender, D. P. 1981. Environment and shoot growth of woody plants. Forest Research Laboratory, School of Forestry, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis. Res. Pap. 45, 47 pp.

  • Lavender, D. P. and Stafford, S. G. 1985. Douglas-fir seedlings: Some factors affecting chilling requirement, bud activity, and new foliage production. Can. J. Forest Res. 15: 309–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopushinsky, W. and Max, T. A. 1990. Effect of soil temperature on root and shoot growth and on budburst timing in conifer seedling transplants. New Forests 4: 107–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munson, K. R. 1986. Principles, procedures, and availability of seedling quality tests, pp. 71–77. In: Landis, T. D. and Fischer, J. W. (Eds) Proceedings: Intermountain Nurseryman's Association Meeting, August 13–15 1985, Fort Collins, Colorado. USDA Forest Serv., Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, Colorado. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norvell, D. J. and Moore, J. N. 1982. An evaluation of chilling models for estimating rest requirements of highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 107: 54–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Omi, S. K. and Schuch, U. K. 1987. Fall lifting: Its effects on dormancy intensity of ponderosa pine seedlings — a preliminary investigation, pp. 93–97. In: Landis, T. D. (Ed) Meeting the Challenge of the Nineties. Proceedings, Intermountain Forest Nursery Association, August 10–14, 1987, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. USDA Forest Serv., Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, Colorado.Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perry, T. O. 1971. Dormancy of trees in winter. Science 171: 29–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehfeldt, G. E. 1986. Adaptive variation in Pinus ponderosa from intermountain regions. I. Snake and Salmon River basins. For. Sci. 32: 79–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, E. A., Seeley, S. D. and Walker, D. R. 1974. A model for estimating the completion of rest for “Redhaven” and “Elberta” peach trees. HortScience 9: 331–332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, G. A. 1984a. Effect of freezer storage on bud dormancy release in Douglas-fir seedlings. Can. J. For. Res. 14: 186–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, G. A. 1984b. Assessing seedling quality, pp. 243–259. In: Duryea, M. L. and Landis, T. D. (Eds) Forest Nursery Manual: Production of Bareroot Seedlings. Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague/Boston/Lancaster for Forest Research Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, G. A. 1986a. Some effects of cold storage on seedling physiology, pp. 57–61. In: Landis, T. D. (Ed) Proceedings: Combined western forest nursery council and intermountain nursery association meeting, August 12–15 1986, Tumwater, Washington. USDA Forest Serv., Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, CO. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, G. A. 1986b. Relationships among bud dormancy status, cold hardiness, and stress resistance in 2+0 Douglas-fir. New Forests 1: 29–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, G. A., Roden, J. R. and Kleyn, N. 1985. Physiological quality of lodgepole pine and interior spruce seedlings: Effects of lift date and duration of freezer storage. Can. J. For. Res. 15: 636–645.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sacher, J. A. 1954. Structure and seasonal activity of the shoot apices of Pinus lambertiana and Pinus ponderosa. Am. J. Bot. 41: 749–759.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarvas, R. 1974. Investigations on the annual cycle of development of forest trees: II Autumn dormancy and winter dormancy. Commun. Inst. For. Fenn. 84: 1–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silen, R. R. 1978. Genetics of Douglas-fir. USDA Forest Ser., Washington, DC, Res. Pap. WO-35, 34 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tung, C. H. and DeYoe, D. R. 1988. Growth resumption and performance of nonchilled rAbies seedlings after their first winter. Can. J. Forest Res. 18: 1486–1489.

    Google Scholar 

  • van den Driessche, R. 1977. Survival of coastal and interior Douglas-fir seedlings after storage at different temperatures, and effectiveness of cold storage in satisfying chilling requirements. Can. J. Forest Res. 7: 125–131.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Science, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 97331, Corvallis, Or, USA

    Steven K. Omi, Robin Rose & Thomas E. Sabin

Authors
  1. Steven K. Omi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robin Rose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Thomas E. Sabin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Omi, S.K., Rose, R. & Sabin, T.E. Effectiveness of freezer storage in fulfilling the chilling requirement of fall-lifted ponderosa pine seedlings. New Forest 5, 307–326 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118859

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118859

Key words

Search

Navigation