Five Year Field Performance of Short Day Nursery Treated Engelmann Spruce Seedlings in the Nelson Forest Region of British Columbia

Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry) seedlings of seedlot 5261 were subjected to a series of twelve short day treatment combinations (4 photoperiods by 3 durations) at Red Rock Research Station (RRRS) and grown under standard operational conditions at Surrey Nursery in 1988. Nursery treatment at RRRS significantly affected seedling morphology. Surrey stock was taller than RRRS stock. The 12 RRRS treatments plus the operational seedlot from Surrey Nursery were planted at Split Creek in the Kettle River Valley on June 13, 1989. At year five, excellent survival rates were still displayed by all treatments. As observed after nursery culture, height and root collar diameter were still significantly affected by nursery treatment after five field seasons. Photoperiod was a more significant factor than application duration. Ranges of height, root collar diameter, and stem volume for all 12 treatments were greater at planting than at year five; treatment differences were diminishing. Small stock at planting was growing at a greater rate than the larger planting stock. No significant growth difference existed between RRRS short day treated seedlings and Surrey operational stock after five seasons. Small, phenological effects from short day treatments were observed in the first year but were not significant. Overall, results suggest, when stock is spring planted from storage, short day nursery treatment is an effective tool to achieve both nursery and field objectives without compromising either.

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Author(s): Tracy L. Story, Christopher F. Thompson, Christopher D.B. Hawkins

Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 1994

Event: Combined Western Forest Nursery Association and the Forest Nursery Association of British Columbia
1994 - Moscow, ID