The effect of cupric carbonate on root morphology of containerized mycorrhizal pine seedlings

Abstract

Loblolly (Pinustaeda L.), longleaf (Pinuspalustris Mill.), shortleaf (Pinusechinata Mill.), and eastern white (Pinusstrobus L.) pine seedlings inoculated with Pisolithustinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch (Pt) were raised in a greenhouse in containers painted with latex paint containing 50 g/L cupric carbonate (CuCO3). To determine the effects of CuCO3 on root development and morphology, seedlings were sampled in the middle and at the end of the test. The treatment was effective in preventing most first-order laterals of all species from growing down the container wall, yet it had no significant effect on seedling height, root-collar diameter, or top and root fresh weight. Cupric carbonate had little effect on ectomycorrhizal formation on loblolly and shortleaf seedlings, but significantly increased it on longleaf seedlings and decreased it on eastern white seedlings. Using CuCO3 to alter root morphology of containerized southern pine seedlings inoculated with Pt has the potential for developing stock that will grow long laterals near the soil surface for anchorage and increase the rate of spread of Pt ectomycorrhizae from the plug to new roots after planting.

Effect of container type and seedling size on survival and early height growth of Pinus palustris seedlings in Alabama, U.S.A.

“…Numerous reports have been made on the effects of treating containers with copper to prevent conifer lateral roots from bending downwards and forming a ''cage'' effect (Romero et al, 1986;Ruehle, 1985;McDonald et al, 1984). However, a previous study with a SpinOut 1 treatment found that shoot weight of longleaf pine increased by 28% and plugs were easier to extract (Barnett and McGilvray, 2002).…”

Toppling in British Columbia's Lodgepole Pine Plantations: Significance, Cause and Prevention

“…Elsewhere the effectiveness of the chemical root pruning technique has been demonstrated with several pine species (McDonald et al 1984aand 1984b, Ruehle 1985, Dong and Burdett 1986; S.J. Colombo, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and R. Girouard, Canadian Forestry Service, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, personal communications) and Eucalyptus (L. Bunn, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia, personal communication).…”

“…Colombo, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and R. Girouard, Canadian Forestry Service, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, personal communications) and Eucalyptus (L. Bunn, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia, personal communication). Ruehle (1985) demonstrated that chemical root pruning has the potential to improve mycorrhizal inoculation of containergrown pines. The chemical root pruning technique is used commercially in South Africa where over 5 000 000 seedlings of Plnus caribea Mor.…”

The Persistence of Container Nursery Treatments on the Field Performance and Root System Morphology of Longleaf Pine Seedlings

“…Even so, the resulting caged appearance of root systems was suspected to cause root system anchorage failure and thus sapling stem instability [15,[18][19][20]. To reduce this cage effect, interior container walls were coated with copper (Cu) compounds to stop primary lateral roots from elongating once they reached the cavity wall [19,21]. This treatment reduced the incidence of leaning in lodgepole pine three years after outplanting [22].…”