Abstract
Five week old white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss] seedlings were placed within controlled-temperature growth chambers, and subjected to one of four periodic, chilling treatments for approximately 16 weeks. The treatments differed in the frequency of 24 hour exposure to 5 °C the seedlings received, and ranged from no chilling (control), to once every two, three or four days. After 25 weeks of growth, the control seedlings were significantly taller than all chilling-exposed seedlings, but stem diameters were similar. Chilling did not affect either needle length or needle density compared to control seedlings. During a water deficit test, frequently chilling-exposed seedlings maintained significantly higher mid-day shoot water potentials under extreme water stress. Re-watering after the drought resulted in all chilling-treated seedlings recovering faster to pre-stress shoot water potential levels than the control seedlings. Measurements of new root growth after 21 days at 10 °C indicated that previous chilling exposure delayed or inhibited new root production.
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Roberts, J., Zwiazek, J. Periodic chilling exposure during nursery culture. New Forests 18, 301–314 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006687523702
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006687523702