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Root characteristics and growth potential of container and bare-root seedlings of red oak (Quercus rubra L.) in Ontario, Canada

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Abstract

Root characteristics and field performance of container and bare-root seedlings of red oak (Quercus rubra L.) were compared during the first growing season after planting. Sixty seedlings of each stock type were planted on a clearfell and weed-free site near Restoule, Ontario. Twenty-four additional seedlings from each stock type were compared at the start of the study in terms of shoot and root parameters. Measurement of root and shoot parameters were repeated at three dates during the first growing season in the field. The root systems of container stock had a larger number of first order lateral long roots and were significantly more fibrous than bare-root stock. These differences were sustained throughout the first growing season. In terms of field performance, container seedlings had 100% survival and achieved significant increases in both biomass and shoot extension. Bare-root seedlings suffered 25% mortality, significant shoot dieback and more variable growth. The mean relative growth rate (RGR) of container seedlings increased throughout the study period to a maximum of 30 mg/g/day, whereas the mean RGR of bare-root stock remained close to or below zero. Overall, the container seedlings proved less prone to transplanting shock than the bare-root seedlings, most likely due to favourable root architecture and the pattern of root development. Further work may be warranted in container design, growing regimes and root architecture to fully realise the potential of container systems for the production of high quality red oak seedlings across a range of site conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Don Willis (Jiffy Products), Terry Blake, Vera Borsos-Matovina and John McCarron (University of Toronto), and Eva Casson-du Mont (University of Central Lancashire) for technical assistance and contributions to the research. The Ontario Industrial Research Assistance Program and the Ontario Forest Renewal Co-op provided funding and technical support for the project. The Royal Society, London provided funds for completion and presentation of this paper. We thank Doug Jacobs (Purdue University), Andrée Morneault (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on earlier versions of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National School of Forestry, Newton Rigg, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0AH, England, UK

    Edward R. Wilson

  2. Urban Forestry Branch, Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, City of Toronto, 18 Dyas Road, Main Floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M3B 1V5

    Kristjan C. Vitols

  3. Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3B 2E9

    Andrew Park

  4. 11 Howard Street, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9DN, England, UK

    Edward R. Wilson

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  1. Edward R. Wilson
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Correspondence to Edward R. Wilson.

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Wilson, E.R., Vitols, K.C. & Park, A. Root characteristics and growth potential of container and bare-root seedlings of red oak (Quercus rubra L.) in Ontario, Canada. New Forests 34, 163–176 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-007-9046-7

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