Growth Response of Container-grown Pin Oak and Japanese Maple Seedlings to Sulfur Fertilization

Browder, Jake F.; Niemiera, Alexander Xavier; Harris, J. Roger; Wright, Robert D.

doi:10.21273/hortsci.40.5.1524

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…S is essential to the growth of higher plants (Browder et al 2005). S availability is also partly related to soil moisture such as observed in rainfall gradients in tropical areas of Africa (Itanna 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drought’s impact on Ca, Fe, Mg, Mo and S concentration and accumulation patterns in the plants and soil of a Mediterranean evergreen Quercus ilex forest

2007

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We conducted a 6-year field manipulation drought experiment in an evergreen Quercus ilex forest where we simulated the drought predicted by GCM and ecophysiological models for the coming decades (an average of 15% soil moisture reduction). We thereby tested the hypothesis that enhanced drought will change Ca, Fe, Mg, Mo and S availability, concentrations and accumulation patterns in Mediterranean ecosystems. The strongest effects of drought occurred in the soil. Drought increased the total soil concentrations of S, the soil extract concentrations of Fe, Mg and S, the Mg saturation in the soil exchangeable complex and tended to increase the percentage base saturation of the soil exchangeable complex. These increased soil concentrations were related to a decrease of plant uptake capacity and not to an increase of soil enzyme activity, which in fact decreased under drier conditions. Drought increased leaf Mg concentrations in the three dominant species although only significantly in Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo (20 and 14%, respectively). In contrast, drought tended to decrease Ca in Phillyrea latifolia (18%) and Ca and Fe concentrations in the wood of all three species. Drought increased Ca and Fe concentrations in the roots of Quercus ilex (26 and 127%). There was a slight general trend to decrease total biomass accumulation of nutrients that depend on water flux such as Mg, Fe and S. This effect was related to a decrease of soil moisture that reduced soil flow, and to a decrease in photosynthetic capacity, sap flow, transpiration and growth, and therefore plant uptake capacity under drought observed in Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo. On the contrary, drought increased Mo accumulation in aboveground biomass in Phillyrea latifolia and reduced Mo accumulation in Arbutus unedo by reducing growth and wood Mo concentrations (51%). Phillyrea latifolia showed a great capacity to adapt to drier conditions, with no decrease in growth, an increase of Mo uptake capacity and a decrease in leaf Ca concentration, which was related to a decrease in transpiration under drought. The results indicate asymmetrical changes in species capacity to accumulate these elements, which are likely to produce changes in inter-specific competitive relations among dominant plant species and in their nutritional quality as food sources. The results also indicate that drought tended to decrease nutrient content in aboveground biomass, mainly through the decrease in growth and transpiration of the most sensitive species and caused an increase in the availability of these nutrients in soil. Thus, drought decreased the ecosystem's capacity to retain Mg, Fe and S, facilitating their loss in torrential rainfalls.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drought’s impact on Ca, Fe, Mg, Mo and S concentration and accumulation patterns in the plants and soil of a Mediterranean evergreen Quercus ilex forest

2007

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“…Sometimes S can improve growth even when a change in pH is not needed. Applying solutions (containing KCl and K2SO4) to pH 4.1 pine bark medium demonstrated that growth of oak and maple in containers was related to the amount of sulfur added (Browder et al 2005). Likewise, 100 kg ha -1 of S increased the growth of container-grown quaking aspen growing in pH 5.5 soil (Liang and Chang 2004).…”

Section: Sulfurmentioning

confidence: 98%

Is the recommended pH for growing hardwood seedlings wrong?

South

2019

REFOR

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Two schools of thought address the optimum soil pH (measured in water) for growing hardwood seedlings in bareroot nurseries. One school uses nutrient surveys in nonfertilized forests to determine the best pH range for growing seedlings in fertilized nurseries. Some students of this school believe hardwood seedlings grow best at pH 6.0 to 7.5. In contrast, another school relies on research from pH trials to conclude that fertilized hardwoods can grow well in soils that range from pH 4.5 to 6.0. This article compiles some of the findings from seedbed and greenhouse trials and attempts to use data to dispel a few myths about the "optimum pH" for growing hardwood seedlings. Greenhouse trials suggest many fertilized hardwoods grow better in acid soils (pH 4-6) than in nearly neutral soils (pH 6.0-7.5). The optimal pH for growth differs among species and, therefore, it is a myth that all hardwood seedlings grow best at pH 6 to 7.5. Most nursery managers in the southern United States grow bareroot hardwoods between pH 4.8 and 6.0.

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“…Although fertilizing with N plus K can increase root-collar diameter of slash pine (Mead and Pritchett 1971), there are no data from nurseries to show K fertilization increases the root-collar diameter of pine seedlings (Westveld 1946;Steinbeck 1962;Hodgson 1977;Hinesley and Maki 1980;South and Donald 2002). When biomass is increased with K2SO4 fertilization (Hodgson 1977;McKee 1978;Browder et al 2005b), the growth increase might be due to correcting a S deficiency (Lyle and Pearce 1968;Will and Youngberg 1978;Browder et al 2005b). Perhaps some researchers incorrectly assumed that K increased growth when a S deficiency was corrected by a K2SO4 treatment.…”

Section: Will K Fertilization Increase Growth Of B Areroot Seedlingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For hardwoods, K fertilization will sometimes increase growth when roots are in water (Murphy and McAdoo 1969;Houman et al 1990) or when seedlings are grown in pots containing sand (Rosendahl 1943;Browder et al 2005b;Foulger et al 2007;Whittier 2018). In contrast, K fertilization typically has no positive effect on hardwoods when soil contains some silt and clay.…”

Section: Will K Fertilization Increase Growth Of B Areroot Seedlingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It may seem obvious but when applied at rates that are low enough, there will be no difference in seedlings between KCl and K2SO4 for either loblolly pine (Dierauf 1982;Rowan 1987) or hardwood seedlings (Deines 1973;South 1975). However, when applying high rates of K, hardwoods seedlings usually grow better when fertilized with K2SO4 (Deines 1973;Browder et al 2005b). In situations where fumigated soil is very warm during seed germination, KCl fertilization (before sowing) might increase damping-off (Rowan 1971).…”

Section: K Source Is Importantmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Potassium fertilization in bareroot nurseries in the southern US: a review

South

2019

REFOR

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This review covers most of the published literature on potassium (K) fertilization in bareroot seedbeds with the intent to concentrate on the southern United States. The timing and rates of K fertilization for bareroot seedlings are often based on logic and myths and, as a result, K recommendations vary considerably. Some recommend bareroot pine seedlings be fertilized with twice as much K as nitrogen (N) while others apply less than 100 kg ha -1 . It was determined that several long-held claims about K fertilization are invalid. Nursery seedbeds do not need to contain four times as much available K as N and the belief that extra K fertilization will increase freeze tolerance or drought resistance of non-deficient seedlings is invalid. There are no data to support the claim that K fertilization increases root growth or assists in the formation of terminal buds. For sandy seedbeds, there is no need to apply K before sowing. Adding extra K during the fall does not increase seedling morphology or seedling performance when loblolly pine seedlings, at lifting, have more than 0.5% K in needles. A reduction of K fertilization can be achieved by reviewing foliar tests prior to K top-dressings.

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Growth Response of Container-grown Pin Oak and Japanese Maple Seedlings to Sulfur Fertilization

Cited by 9 publications

References 13 publications

Drought’s impact on Ca, Fe, Mg, Mo and S concentration and accumulation patterns in the plants and soil of a Mediterranean evergreen Quercus ilex forest

Drought’s impact on Ca, Fe, Mg, Mo and S concentration and accumulation patterns in the plants and soil of a Mediterranean evergreen Quercus ilex forest

Is the recommended pH for growing hardwood seedlings wrong?

Potassium fertilization in bareroot nurseries in the southern US: a review

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