Moisture Stress Acclimation Reduces Sensitivity of Containerized Eldarica Pine to Harsh Handling
Improper handling of seedlings can cause increased mortality and reduce growth following outplanting. Container growing systems reduce physical handling impacts on tree seedlings; however, containerization does not alleviate the need for careful handling. To determine if moisture-stress conditioning (MSC) can improve seedling tolerance to harsh handling, containerized Pinus eldarica seedlings were subjected for 8 weeks to two growing regimes, well watered and watered only when wilted at dawn (moisture-stress conditioned, MSC). Handling treatments consisted of a factorial combination of days without water (0, 2 and 4 days) and a 90- minute incubation at either 20, 25 or 30° C. Shoot water potential and new root production over 14 days was used to evaluate the effects of poor handling. MSC treatments bufferred the effects of handling treatments on shoot water potential. MSC seedlings also had an average 33% greater new root production than well-watered controls. As handling treatments became more severe, new root production was reduced in control seedlings, with little change in MSC seedlings.
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Author(s): John T. Harrington, James T. Fisher, John G. Mexal
Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 1991
Event:
Intermountain Forest Nursery Association
1991 - Park City, UT
