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Physiological and field growth responses of oak seedlings to warm storage

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Abstract

The effect of warm storage (15°C) for 0, 15 or 31 days, applied after cold storage until April, and date of lifting to cold storage on the physiological condition and field performance of two-year-old oak seedlings (Quercus robur L.) was investigated. Assessments before planting included plant moisture status, root and shoot dry weight, root growth potential (RGP), while after planting root growth, shoot growth phenology, shoot and root dry matter accumulation and stem quality were assessed. Warm storage effects were large, but lift date effects were small. Warm storage for 31 days reduced height and diameter growth, stem quality, total biomass, root growth, and reduced stem quality in the field, but 15 days storage had a smaller effect. Warm storage delayed bud break and shoot growth cessation but survival was unaffected. The depletion of food reserves during storage and low moisture availability might have caused shoot dieback leading to the development of poor quality stems. There was evidence that dry weight fraction of both the shoot tip and the taproot provided good information on the quality of the stock before planting. RGP was also a good indicator of quality. Electrolyte leakage readings from fine and taproots were not reliable indicators of plant quality.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the EU Agriculture and Fisheries (FAIR) RTD programme (CT95-0497), a scholarship (to first author) provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal, COFORD and Coillte Teo., Ireland. Technical assistance provided by nursery staff at Ballintemple Nursery, Co. Carlow and by Mr. Ray O’Haire (UCD) is acknowledged. Prof. John Connolly (UCD School of Mathematical Sciences) provided advice on the statistical analyses.

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  1. Raquel Cabral

    Present address: UCD Earth Institute, Clonskeagh Drive, Dublin 4, Ireland

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  1. UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, Agri & Food Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 14, Ireland

    Raquel Cabral & Conor O’Reilly

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  1. Raquel Cabral
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  2. Conor O’Reilly
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Correspondence to Conor O’Reilly.

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Cabral, R., O’Reilly, C. Physiological and field growth responses of oak seedlings to warm storage. New Forests 36, 159–170 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-008-9090-y

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