Conferencia Internacional Nutrient Dynamics of Planted Forests, Noviembre de 201

Oliet Pala, Juan Antonio

Servicio de Coordinación de Bibliotecas de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Seedling nutrient loading to improve 
planting success. A Mediterranean 
perspective 
•Juan A. Oliet (juan.oliet@upm.es) 
Universidad Politécnica  de Madrid. SPAIN 
•Jaime Puértolas Simón. Lancaster University 
•Rosa Planelles González. Universidad Politécnica 
de Madrid 
1 
Content 
1. Introduction 
2. A Mediterranean perspective? 
Specificities about artificial regeneration in 
the Mediterranean 
3. Importance of seedling nutrient status 
at planting in Mediterranean zones: 
why loading? 
4. Nutrient loading in Mediterranean 
nurseries 
5. Future research lines 
2 
Introduction 
3 
• Afforestation in Spain from the 1940s to the 1980s leaded to 
more than 3 M of ha transformed to forests 
• Many highly degraded areas were afforested on harsh dry 
sites 
• Low nursery technologies and low seedling quality 
requirements 
• Soil erosion control and forest production improvement were 
main objectives 
1892 
4 
Introduction 
 5 
Introduction 
• Keystone aspects of the establishment success?: 
Mostly pines were used 
High planting densities 
guaranteed stand 
establishment 
Low labor costs 
permitted fails 
replacement from year 
to year 
6 
Introduction 
Changes from the 1980s to present: 
• From soil erosion control to forests 
and other ecosystems restoration 
• Much higher forestation costs 
• Plant production in larger and 
centralized nurseries 
• Needs to widen the pool of species 
• Global change is the “dressing of 
every salads”, even more important 
in Mediterranean areas 
The necessity to improve seedling quality  
clearly emerges … 
7 
Introduction 
…and there is room for improvements: 
Even for pines species 
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 17.5 20 22.5
Su
rv
iv
al
 (%
) 
[N] Needles (mg·g-1) 
Ensayo "El Caballón"
Ensayo "El Toyo"
Exp. 
Exp. 
Pinus halepensis.  
(Oliet et al., 1997, 2009) 
8 
Introduction 
A Mediterranean perspective? 
Specificities about artificial 
regeneration in the Mediterranean 
9 
Specificities about Mediterranean artificial regeneration 
• Mediterranean climate 
– Strong summer drought preceded by unpredictable springs 
 
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Pr
ec
ip
ita
tio
n 
(m
m
)
Te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
 (º
C)
Mediterranean-continental climate
Month
10 
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Pr
ec
ip
ita
tio
n 
(m
m
)
Te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
 (º
C)
Mediterranean-coastal climate
Month
Early frost after planting in fall 
can damage the seedlings 
Seedlings must emit new roots in 
depth as soon as possible to avoid  
subsequent summer drought 
Villar-Salvador et al 2012 
Specificities about Mediterranean artificial regeneration 
• Field constraints and facts: planting window. We 
must plant asap, from early 
     fall rains to February 
 
D. Close 
11 
• Nursery production facts. 
Raising seedlings outdoors: 
– Frosts occur during fall in inland  
    (continental) nurseries (hidden 
death of seedlings prior to 
plantation) 
– Late growth occurs during fall in  
     mild (coastal) nurseries: 
 
Mild winter nursery
Cold winter nursery
M
in
im
um
 te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
 (º
C)
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
M
ea
n 
te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
 (º
C)
-10
0
10
20
30
100 150 200 250 300 350 34
09
 Ap
ril
29
 M
ay
18
 Ju
ly
06
 Se
pte
mb
er
26
 O
cto
be
r
15
 D
ec
em
be
r
02
 Fe
bru
ary
-------Mild nursery 
………Cold nursery 
Specificities about Mediterranean artificial regeneration 
Andivia et al 2011, Quercus ilex 
12 
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Shoot Root
Dr
y 
m
as
s (
g)
 
End of fall
End of summer
Importance of seedling nutrient 
status at planting in 
Mediterranean zones: why 
loading? 
13 
Why loading in Mediterranean zones? 
(Planelles 2004) 
0,0 
2,0 
4,0 
6,0 
8,0 
10,0 
12,0 
January March May August November 
A 
(μ
m
ol
 m
 -2
 s -
1 )
 
30 mg/l N 
150 mg/l N 
250 mg/l N 
Ceratonia siliqua 
Photosynthesis activation to resume growth after planting 
is strongly related to nutrient (mostly N) status 
14 
• Nitrogen loaded seedlings of sclerophyllous species 
increase stomatic conductance after planting 
planting: 
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200
225
0 50 150 250 10 50
St
om
at
ic
 co
nd
uc
ta
nc
e 
m
m
ol
/m
2/
s 
Hoja nueva
Hoja vieja
N rate (mg) P rate (mg) 
New leaves 
Old leaves 
(Oliet et al. unpub. data) 
Quercus ilex 
b 
ab 
a 
Why loading in Mediterranean zones? 
15 
• A large body of evidence shows how nitrogen loaded 
seedlings survive better under very dry conditions 
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
34 36.5 39 41.5 44 46.5 49
Su
rv
iv
al
 (%
) 
Leaf [N] (mg/g) 
0,3 
0,6 
Oliet  et al. 2006 
Why loading in Mediterranean zones? 
Zizyphus lotus 
16 
• Is only nitrogen? Phosphrus loaded seedlings also show a 
superior response afer planting 
Oliet  et al. 2005 
R2 = 0.68, P = 0.023  
R2 = 0.77, P = 0.009 
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Ro
ot
 D
W
 (g
) 
Su
rv
iv
al
 (%
) 
P supplied (mg/seedling) 
Survival
Root DW
Why loading in Mediterranean zones? 
Acacia salicina 
17 
• Cold resistance of seedlings in both nursery and plantations can be 
critical  Cold resistance is closely related to nutrient (mostly N) status 
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Mild fall conditions Cold fall conditions
Vi
su
al
 D
am
ag
e 
(%
) 
Pinus halepensis 
Low Nitrogen
High Nitrogen
Why loading in Mediterranean zones? 
Puértolas et al. 2005 
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
E. globulus (-6ºC) Q. ilex (-8ºC) Q. ilex (-10ºC) Q. ilex (-14ºC)
Vi
su
al
 D
am
ag
e 
(%
) 
Low Nitrogen
High Nitrogen
Fernández et al. 2007 
Andivia et al., 2011 
18 
Interaction N × 
environment on 
frost resistance  
How can we nutrient load our 
seedlings in Mediterranean 
nurseries? 
19 
• Is exponential regime effective in nutrient 
loading every species?  
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0 5 10 15 20
N
 ra
te
 (m
g)
 
Week of culture 
Constante
Exponencial
Excess-toxicity 
Dilution 
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
20 
 1ª M 
2ª M 
3ª M 
Puértolas et al 2009, CFE 
• Oak species like Quercus ilex exhibits a rhythmic growth pattern in 
the nursery: 
Several active growth 
periods are followed 
by lag stages 
Those intervals are 
not synchronized  
 
 
 
 
 
Roots still growth 
during late fall 
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
21 
• How nutrient availability during growth affects ontogeny of species 
with rhythmic growing pattern (Quercus ilex): 
1. Higher synchronicity for 
highly fertilized seedlings 
during second lag 
2. More seedlings reaching 
advanced stages in 
ontogeny 
Vizcaino et al. In preparation 
40 ppm during 
previous stages 
250 ppm during 
second flush stage 
250 ppm during L2 (lag after 
second flush stage) 
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
22 
• Potential ability of exponential regime to nutrient load 
species with growth patterns at intervals is very low 
Sh
oo
t n
ut
rie
nt
 c
on
ce
nt
ra
tio
n 
(m
g·
g-
1 )
 
Quercus ilex (Oliet et al. 2009) 
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0 5 10 15 20
R
at
e 
of
 N
 (m
g/
w
ee
k)
 
Weeks of culture 
Constante 100 mg N
Exponencial 100 mg N
Exponencial 25 mg N
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
23 
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
• Controlled release fertilizers are a good alternative to 
nutrient load seedlings by using high rates with high 
fertilizer recovery 
Pinus halepensis Oliet et al 1999 
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
N
ee
dl
es
 N
 c
on
ce
nt
ra
tio
n 
(m
g·
g-
1 )
  
Pl
an
 d
ry
 m
as
s (
m
g)
 
N supplied as CRF (mg·seedling-1)  
Plant dry mass (mg)
Leaf N (mg/g)
0 mg N 31 mg N 67 mg N 103 mg N 120 mg N 184 mg N 258 mg N 
24 
Luxury consumption 
• CRF provide nutrients till late fall to avoid nutrient dilution 
Pinus halepensis 
Oliet et al 2004 
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Osm9D1 Osm9D2 Osm9D3 Osm17D1Osm17D2Osm17D3
E
C
 (d
S
/m
) 
Jul Nov
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Osm9D1 Osm9D2 Osm9D3 Osm17D1Osm17D2Osm17D3
N
O
3-
N
 (
m
g/
l) 
St
em
 v
ol
um
e 
(m
m
3)
 
Electrical 
conductivity 
Nitrate 
concentration 
Saturation extract 
25 
• Nutrient dilution during fall occurs precluding nutrient 
loading. Is fall fertilization a solution? 
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
Fall fertilization promotes growth … … but also nutrient loading 
Pinus halepensis 
Puértolas et al unpub data 26 
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
No Fall F Fall 4-25-35 Fall 20-7-19
N
 co
nc
en
tr
at
io
n 
in
 n
ee
dl
es
 (m
g/
g)
 
Fall fertilization regime 
N concentration 
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
No Fall F Fall 4-25-35 Fall 20-7-19
Dr
y 
m
as
s (
g)
 
Fall fertilization regime 
September
November
Biomas
• Early fall fertilization is more effective to load Holm oak, 
specially with P 
Early fall (24-48 mg N) 
Late fall (24-48 mg N) 
OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER 
Oliet et al. 2011 
N concentration in roots P concentration in roots 
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
24 mg N 48 mg N Early Fall Late Fall Control
Ro
ot
 [N
] m
g·
g-
1 
a 
b * 
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
24 mg N 48 mg N Early Fall Late Fall Control
Ro
ot
 [P
] m
g·
g-
1 
a 
b 
a 
b 
* 
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
27 
• Fall fertilization is an adequate strategy to nutrient load 
these species (Holm oak) 
Heredia et al (in prep) 
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
C- (33 mg N) Exp (175 mg N) C+ (175 mg N) FL (89 mg N)
Le
af
 [N
] (
m
g·
g-
1)
 
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
0 10 20 30 40
PP
M
 o
f N
 p
er
 w
ee
k 
Week of culture 
Exponential 175 mg
Constant 175 mg
Constant 33 mg
Constant + fall loading 89 mg
Nutrient loading in Mediterranean nurseries 
b 
ab ab a 
0
5
10
15
20
Mild fall Cold fall
Le
af
 [N
] (
m
g·
g-
1 )
 b 
a 
28 
Fall fertilization seems more effective in 
cold fall nurseries  
Future research 
• Developing fertilization programs for 
Mediterranean species of interest to reach 
effective nutrient loading: 
– Improve the knowledge of specific growing patterns 
in the nursery 
– Understand nutrient dynamics during hardening and 
fall (uptake and remobilization) to improve efficiency 
of late season fertilization  
– Improve knowledge of interactive relationships 
between cold acclimation, nutrient uptake and 
environment during hardening. Cold resistance of 
roots deserves special attention. 
29 
 
Thank you very much! ¡Muchas gracias! 
 
Special thanks to people from:  
30 


Seedling Nutrient Loading to Improve Planting Success: A Mediterranean Perspective

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Seedling Nutrient Loading to Improve Planting Success: A Mediterranean Perspective

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