Loblolly pine seedlings were lifted from a nursery bed in two-week intervals (November 4-April 21) and were immediately planted in an open field. Each planting included seedlings planted at the root collar (A), one-half of shoot buried (B) and most of the shoot buried except for the one-inch terminal (C). Average mortality during the first year was 10%, 13% and 16% for the A, B and C planting depths, respectively; the corresponding values for the second year mortality were 2%, 3% and 5%. Average first year mortality by the planting periods ranged - 24% with the highest values for April plantings. Deep (C) planting produced most height growth during the first growing season and least during the second and third growing seasons

Bilan, M. Victor

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Stephen F. Austin State UniversitySFA ScholarWorksFaculty Publications Forestry1987Effect of time and depth of planting on survival andgrowth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings inTexasM. Victor BilanStephen F. Austin State UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/forestryPart of the Forest Sciences CommonsTell us how this article helped you.This Conference Proceeding is brought to you for free and open access by the Forestry at SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion inFaculty Publications by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact cdsscholarworks@sfasu.edu.Recommended CitationBilan, M. Victor, "Effect of time and depth of planting on survival and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings in Texas"(1987). Faculty Publications. Paper 219.http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/forestry/219EFFECT OF TIME AND DEPTH OF PLANTING ON SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF LOBLOLLY PINE L.) SEEDLINGS IN I M. Victor Bilan2/ Abstract.--Loblolly pine seedlings were lifted from a nursery bed in two-week intervals (November 4-April 21) and were immediately planted in an open field. Each planting included seedlings planted at the root collar (A), one-half of shoot buried (B) and most of the shoot buried except for the one-inch terminal (C). Average mortality during the first year was 10%, 13% and 16% for the A, B and C planting depths, respectively; the corresponding values for the second year mortality were 2%, 3% and 5%. Average first year mortality by the planting periods ranged - 24% with the highest values for April plantings. Deep (C) planting produced most height growth during the first growing season and least during the second and third growing seasons. INTRODUCTION This study was initiated in 1958, during the period of intensified interest in survival of outplanted southern pine seedlings and in the successful establishment of pine plantations. Review of then available literature (Ferguson and Stephenson, 1955) concluded that some attempts have been made to rationalize the results in view of weather conditions and morphological development of planting stock. Slocum (1951) and Slocum and Maki (1956) reported that deep planting had some positive effect on growth of loblolly pine seedlings, but no literature was available dealing with the season of planting. Preliminary experiments conducted by the author revealed that in East Texas roots of the pine seedlings were actively growing in the winter, so he had concluded that early planting would enable seedlings to develop sufficient root systems before the occurrence of the late spring and summer droughts. It was, however, necessary to determine the time in the autumn when seedlings in a nursery were "hardened" enough to be transplanted in a field without sustaining high mortality. It was also postulated that, other factors being equal, pine seedlings with well-developed deep-reaching root systems have a much better chance of surviving prolonged drought than the seedlings with superficial shallow root systems. This study was designed to plant seedlings in two-week intervals from November till April by using three different depths of plantings. 1/ - Paper presented at Southern Silvicultural Research Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, November 4-6, 1986. 'l/ - Professor of Forestry, School of Forestry, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES The study was established on a Woden sandy loam soil of old field in Nacogdoches County, Texas. The field was plowed and disked six weeks before the establishment of the experiment and then it was subdivided into three blocks, each 164 feet by 108 feet. Each block consisted of 41 rows, each 108 feet long and four feet apart. Two edge rows served as isolation strips, while the remaining 39 rows represented randomly assigned 13 different dates of planting at the three different depths. The plantings were made in two-week intervals beginning November 4, 1958 and ending April 21, 1959. Each row in a block contained 27 seedling$ spaced four feet apart and planted on the same date and at the same depth. Two edge seedlings were considered as isolation. The depths of planting were as follows: (A) root collar at the ground level, (B) one-half of the shoot buried, (C) most of the shoot buried except for the upper one-inch of terminal. Standard planting bar was used for regular (A) planting, while 18-inch bar was used for B and C planting depths. All roots were trimmed to the length of seven inches. Statistically, this study consisted of 13 planting dates and three depths of planting, each represented by three replications of 25 seedlings. All data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance. RESULTS Mortality Periodic survey of experimental planting revealed that by March 19, 1959, attrition due gophers and weather damage was 6 percent, 4 percent and 2 percent in A, B and C planting depths, respectively (Table 1). Mortality was 67 6R particularly in November 18 planting, amounting to percent in A and 16 percent in B depth planting. It is important to notice that planting made just two days before the first freeze of the season. The loss due to inclement weather four times as high the to the obvious damage gophers. Average annual mortality for 1959 amounted to percent and percent in the A, and C, respectively (Table plantings suffered very high depths of planting, averaging percent and 33 percent in A, The highest mortality in depths of planting occurred in planting made on November 18, while the highest mortality in depth of planting occurred in April planting. during 1960 growing season 3 percent in B and 5 percent in C depth of planting, and no particular pattern was noticed in respect to the season of planting. Seasonal Height Growth Average seasonal height growth in 1959 was significantly different for each depth of planting, amounting to 9 inches in A, 11 inches in Band 13 inches inC planting (Table 3). Seedlings planted on November 4 grew most, while those planted in March and April grew least, regardless of the depth of planting. In 1960 and 1961, average height growth of A and B was significantly higher than that of C (Table 4), but in 1962 growth was identical in all depths of planting. Height growth of all April plantings continued to behind all others through 1960 and 1961 growing seasons. Total Height Average height of all A plantings was greater than was the height of either B or C plantings from 1959 through 1962 (Table 5 and Table 6), while average height of all C plantings was significantly smaller than that of plantings. Average height superiority planting was maintained in A plantings through 1961 and in plantings 1959 through 1960. During four years of study, average height of trees planted in March and April was shorter than the height trees planted in November-February in all depths of planting. Deep shoot to one inch terminal during the first two years and resulted in less height growth during the second and third year. The increased height growth during the first year did not compensate for less growth during the second and third year. Burying one-half of the shoot reduced survival and height during the first year planted trees were shorter than the conventi1on;a.l:lv planted trees during four years. and and Maki ( reported that deep on well-drained clay did not effect survival it increased growth of loblolly pine seedlings through second growing season, but the authors warned that similar results might not expected elsewhere. Deep reduced survival of loblolly pine on droughty sandy loam (Ursie 1963) and poorly drained silt and clay soils (Switzer 1960) in Mississippi as well on sandy loams in East Texas (Koshi, 960). The highest mortality in this study occurred in the seedlings lifted planted before the first freeze in the fall or after broken shoot dormancy in April. It seems that high mortality in November 18 planting was caused by the first cold spell of the season, while root disturbance of the seedlings during the onset shoot elongation was responsible for high mortality in the April plantings. Low as the cause of high mortality in planting is supported by the fact that mortality was relatively low in the C depth of where only tips of the shoots were exposed to freezing atmosphere. Poor survival of pine seedlings lifted prior to dormancy reported by Venator and Barnett (1984), and Brissette and Roberts (1984) found less root regeneration potential in seedlings lifted in November. Bilan and Ferguson (1985) reported that all seedlings survived when they were lifted and outplanted in a field in two-week intervals December 1 through March 2. Reduction of height growth in all March and April plantings during the first growing season resulted probably from the interruption of spring shoot elongation. Poor survival of pine seedlings lifted and planted during late spring Dierauf (1978) and Venator ( . The author (Bilan and Ferguson 1985) found that loblolly pine seedlings lifted and planted in March grew less in height by early May than did seedlings lifted and planted December 1 - January 12. The author concludes that loblolly pine seedlings have their highest survival growth potential when they are lifted outplanted during their dormancy, survival and growth in great degree Table 1. Average Attrition of Seedlings Due to Gophers and Weather by Time and Depth of Planting by March 19, 1959. Planting Depth A Planting Depth B Planting Depth C DATE NOV. 4 1.3 11.7 13.0 1.3 3.9 5.2 1.3 1.3 .6 18 3.9 18.2 22.1 2.6 13.0 15.6 1.3 0 1.3 DEC. 2 3.9 6.5 10.4 1.3 2.6 3.9 1.3 0 1.3 16 1.3 1.3 2.6 1.3 0 1.3 2.6 2.6 5.2 30 1.3 3.9 5.2 1.3 2.6 3.9 1.3 1.3 2.6 JAN. 13 0 1.3 1.3 0 1.3 1.3 0 0 0 27 0 1.3 1.3 0 0 0 1.3 0 1.3 FEB. 10 0 1.3 1.3 0 0 0 1.3 0 1.3 Table 2. Average Annual Mortality of Loblolly Pine Seedlings by Time and Depth of Planting During 1959 and 1960. DATE Planting Depth Planting Depth NOV. 4 12.3b 2.5 2.5 5.0 18 9.9b 0 3.7 2.5 DEC. 2 9.9b 0 1.3 5.0 16 14.8b 0 4.9 2.5 30 17.3b 2.5 0 7.4 JAN. 13 14.8b 3.7 3.7 2.5 27 9.9b 1.3 1.3 2.5 FEB. 10 7.4b 6.2 7.4 8.6 24 9.9b 1.3 2.5 7.4 MAR. 10 ~ 6c 18.5b 3.7 7.4 3.7 24 7.4c 13.6b 1.3 3.7 0 APR. 7 21.0ab 30.9a 0 0 11.1 21 17.3ab 35.8a 2.5 2.5 3.7 AVERAGE FOR PLANTING 10.3a21 DEPTH 13.2b 15.8c 1.9a 3.2ab 4.8b 1/ Values in individual columns for year 1959 followed by the same letters are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. 2/ Average values for planting depth for 1959 and 1960 followed by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. Table Average Annual Height Growth of Loblolly Pine Seedlings by Time and Depth of Planting for 1959 I I c NOV. 4 16. 16.7a 31.0a .Sa 18 9.8b 12. 14.4a 30.3a 29.4a DEC. 10. 14.5a .6a 29.la 16 10.6b 12.8b 14.5a 29.8a 30.4a 28.4a 30 9 .lb 12.2b 13.8b .Sa 31.4a 29.7a JAN. 13 12.3a .lb 15.3a 30 6a 32.1a 29.6a 27 10.2b 12.5b 15.2a 29.9a 30.5a 30.1a FEB. 10 10.5b 13.lb .2b 32.8a 30.5a 29.9a 24 7.9bc 11.7b 10.6c 29.2a 27.6b 28.la MAR. 10 5.5c 7.9c 10.3c .Oa 24.7b 27 .la 24 6.7c .3c 10.2c .2a 29.7a 28.8a APR. 7 4.7c 7.6c 9.0c .3b 26.3b 23.8b 21 6.4c 6.9c 8. 7c 25.2b 25.3b 25.9b AVERAGE FOR PLANTING 11 Values in individual columns followed by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. 21 Average values for planting depth within years filler by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. Table 4. Average Annual Height Growth of Loblolly Pine Seedlings By Time and Depth of Planting for 1961 and 1963. Planting Depth Planting Depth DATE 50~0a11 I N c H E s NOV. 4 49.9a 46.5a 48.5a 49.0a 52.0a 18 45.8a 49.4a 46.8a SO.Sa 51. 3a 47.2ab DEC. 2 47.0a 46.9a 48.3a 49.6a 51. 9a 50.4ab 16 45.8a 47 .la 47.1a 48.4a Sl.Oa Sl.Oa 30 46.4a 46.6a 47.3a 50.7a 53.2a Sl.la JAN. 13 48.0a 50.4a 44.8b 49.6a 50.8a 46.7b 27 49.8a 47.0a 49.2a 50.9a 51.1a 50.6ab FEB. 10 46.9a 48.0a 45.5a 50.6a 52.5a 52.1a 24 46.2ab 49.2a 43 .lc 50.la 51.2a 48.7ab MAR. 10 44.7b 40.8b 43.9b 49.8a 47.7a 49.2ab 24 47.7a 47.6a 43.5c 50.7a 49.2a 50 .lab APR. 7 43.5b 43.5b 42.0c 47.6a 46.5b 47.8ab 21 43.9b 43.4b 39.9c 50.3a 45.9b 46.9b AVERAGE FOR PLANTING l/ Values in individual columns followed by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 21 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. Average values for planting depth,within years followed by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. 70 Table 5. Mean total height of loblolly pine seedlings by time and depth of planting in 1959 and 1960. Planting Depth Planting Depth DATE 1959 1960 NOV. 4 24.4a 21.8a 17.7a 56.0a 52.8a 46.5a 18 19.8b 17 .3b 15.4a 48.2b 47.6b 44.8a DEC. 2 20.7b 17.1b 15.5a 51.5b 46.7b 44.6a 16 20.6b 17.8b 15.5a 50.4b 48.2b 43.9a 30 19.4b 17.2b 14.8a 49.2b 48. 6it 44.5a JAN. 13 22.3ab 19.lb 16.3a 52.9b 51.2b 46.4a 27 20.2b 17.5b 16.2a 50.1b 48.0b 46.3a FEB. 10 20.5b 18.lb 14.2a 53.3b 48.6b 44.la 24 17.9bc 16.7b 11.6c 4 7.1 be 44. 3bc 39.7b MAR. 10 15.5c 12.9c 11.3b 43.5c 37.6c 38.4b 24 16.7c 13.3c 11.2b 45.9c 43.0bc 40.0b APR. 7 14.7c 12.6c 10.0b 4l.Oc 38.9c 33.8b 21 16.4c 11.9c 9.7b 41. 6c 37.2c 35.6b AVERAGE BY PLANTING 1/ Values in individual columns followed by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. 21 Average values for planting depth within years followed by the same letter are not statistical different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. Table 6. Mean Total Height of Loblolly Pine Seedlings by Time and Depth of Planting in 1961 and 1962. Planting Depth Planting Depth DATE I N c H E s NOV. 4 106.0a 99.7a 93.0a 154.5a 148.7a 145.0a 18 94.0b 97.0a 91.6a 144.5b 148.3a 138.8ab DEC. 2 98.5b 93.6a 92.9a 148. 1b 145.5a 143.3a 16 96.2b 95.3a 91.0a 144.6b 146.3a 142.0a 30 95.6b 95.2a 91.8a 146.3b 148.4a 142.9a JAN. 13 100.9b 101. 6a 91.2a 150.5a 152.4a 137.9ab 27 99.9b 95.0a 95.5a 150.8a 146.1a 146.1a FEB. 10 100.2b 96.6a 89.6a 150.8a 149.1a 141. 7a 24 93.3bc 93.5a 82.8b 143.4b 144.7a 131. 5b MAR. 10 88.2c 78.4c 82.3b 138.0c 125.1b 131. Sb 24 93.6bc 90.6b 83.5b 144.3b 139. 8b 133.6b APR. 7 84.5c 82.4c 75.8c 132.lc 128.9b 123.6c 21 85.5c 80.6c 75.5c 135. Be 126.5b 122.4c AVERAGE FOR PLANTING 95.1 21a DEPTH 92.3b 87.4c 144.9a 142.3b 137. Oc 1/ Values in individual columns followed by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. 2/ Average values for planting depth within years followed by the same letter are not statistically different at the 95 percent confidence level by Duncan's multiple range test. 71 LITERJ\TURE ~ITED Bilan, M.V. and E.R. Ferguson. 1985. Root regeneration in outplanted loblolly pine 1985. L.) seedlings. Proc. Internat. Nursery Management Practices for Pines, Montgomery, Alabama, August Brissette, J.C. and T.c. Roberts. 1984. Seedling size and lifting date effects on root growth potential of loblolly pine from two Arkansas nurseries. Tree Planters' Notes 35(1):34-38. Dierau£, T.A. 1978. Problems with seedlings dormancy and freezing. Proc. 1978 Southern Nursery Conf. U.S.D.A. For. Serv., Tech. Publ. SA-TPG, p. 42-47. Ferguson, E.R. and G.K. Stephenson. 1955. Pine regeneration problems in East Texas: a project analysis. U.S. For. Serv., So. Expt. Sta. Typed office report, 10pp. 72 Koshi, P.T. 1960. Deep planting has little effect in a wet year. U.S. For. Serv. Tree Planters' Notes 40:7. Slocum, G.K. 1951. Survival of loblolly pine seedlings as influenced by depth of planting. Jour. Forestry 49:500. Slocum, G.K. and T.E. Maki. 1956. Some effects of depth of planting upon loblolly pine in North Carolina Piedmont. Jour. Forestry 54:21-25. Switzer, G.L. 1960. Exposure and planting depth effects on loblolly planting stock on poorly drained sites. Jour. Forestry 58:390-391. Venator, C.R. 1985. Evidence for lifting window in loblolly pine nursery seedlings. Proc. 1984. Southern Nursery Con£. July 25-27~ 1984, Asheville, N.C. Venator, C.R. and J.P. Barnett. 1984. Relating root growth potential to survival and growth of loblolly pine seedlings. Proc. Third Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, November 7-8, 1984: 125-127. Ursie, S.J. 1963. Modification of planting technique not recommended for loblolly on eroded soils. Tree Planters' Notes 57:13-17. 

Effect of time and depth of planting on survival and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings in Texas

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Effect of time and depth of planting on survival and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings in Texas

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