Outplanting performance of Pinus strobus, Pinus resinosa, Pinus banksiana, and Picea glauca from different nurseries, and with different container types within Algonquin Park

Abstract

Understanding planting performance of seedlings is integral to the forest industry of Canada. Many factors are involved in the performance of the seedlings once planted in the field. Factors include site conditions, planter competency, environmental conditions, nursery practices, container types and species characteristics. Information on the general location and environment of the site is included as well as information on species characteristics and studies involving past research with regards to container type comparisons, nursery comparisons and variations in site conditions and site preparation techniques. Four different species were examined by means of measuring tree heights, tallying number of dead and affected trees and performing prism swings to measure the mature residual basal area around homogenous plots. The seedlings were planted on similar sites in spring 2010. Each plot consisted of a specific container type, species and nursery origin. Differences between average mean height, percent defect and percent mortality were compared for container type, originating nursery, species characteristics and mature residual basal area. The results yielded stronger correlations between species characteristics than did nursery background and mature residual basal area with regards to mean height, and percent mortality. Percent defect with regards to mature residual basal area did have a correlation for P. banksiana. Container type had conflicting results, however, significant correlations between container type and the variables assessed were present. Trees from one container type were much taller in mean height than the remaining container types, therefore yielding a significant result, however, the remaining 6 container types proved to be insignificantly different from each other.