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Home → Publications → Forest Nursery Notes → 2009 Winter Forest Nursery Notes → 2009 Winter Forest Nursery Notes - New Nursery Literature → Effect of thawing Duration and Temperature on Field Performance of Frozen-Stored Norway Spruce Container Seedlings

Effect of thawing Duration and Temperature on Field Performance of Frozen-Stored Norway Spruce Container Seedlings

Helenius, P., Luoranen, J., and Rikala, R. Silva Fennica 38(3):347-352. 2008.

In this study, 1-yr-old frozen-stored Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) container seedlings were thawed for 4, 8 or 16 days at 4 or 12 oc in cardboard boxes before planting on a reforestation site and on experimental field in mid-June. Some seedlings were also planted on these locations after thawing for only 7 hours at 12 oc in order to separate frozen root plugs. We found some evidence that planting seedlings after short thawing periods (7 hours at 12 oc and4 days at 4 °C), under which conditions the root plugs remain completely or partly frozen, has a negative effect on field performance of Norway spruce seedlings. Thawing over a 4-8 day period in cardboard boxes at ca. 12 oc appears to ensure complete thawing of the root plugs and unaffected field performance, but is short enough to prevent the growth of mould.


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Author(s): P. Helenius, Jaana Luoranen, Risto Rikala

Section: Outplanting Performance