scholarly journals Container Medium pH in a Pine Tree Substrate Amended with Peatmoss and Dolomitic Limestone Affects Plant Growth

HortScience ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 1983-1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian E. Jackson ◽  
Robert D. Wright ◽  
Nazim Gruda

This work was conducted to evaluate the effect of limestone additions to pine tree substrate (PTS) and PTS amended with peatmoss on pH and plant growth. ‘Inca Gold’ marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) and ‘Rocky Mountain White’ geranium (Pelargonium ×hortorum L.H. Bailey) were grown in three PTSs—100% PTS, PTS plus 25% peatmoss (v/v), and PTS plus 50% peatmoss (v/v)—made from freshly harvested loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.) chipped and hammermilled through a 4.76-mm screen and a peatmoss/perlite (4:1 v/v; PL) control. Each substrate was amended with various rates of dolomitic limestone and used to grow marigolds in 10-cm square (l-L) plastic containers and geraniums in round 15-cm (1.25-L) plastic containers in a glasshouse. Regardless of limestone rate, pH was highest in 100% PTS and decreased with peat additions with PL having the lowest pH. As percent peat increased from 25% to 50%, more limestone was required to adjust pH to a particular level showing that PTS is more weakly buffered against pH change than peatmoss. Adding limestone did not increase the growth of marigold in 100% PTS, but additions of limestone did increase growth of marigold when grown in PTS containing peatmoss or in PL. Geranium growth was higher in PTS containing peatmoss (25% or 50%) and PL than in 100% PTS at all limestone rates. This research demonstrates that PTS produced from freshly harvested pine trees has an inherently higher pH than PL, and the additions of peatmoss to PTS require pH adjustment of the substrate for optimal plant growth.

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Wright ◽  
Brian E. Jackson ◽  
Jake F. Browder ◽  
Joyce G. Latimer

A pine tree substrate (PTS), produced by grinding loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda), offers potential as a viable container substrate for greenhouse crops, but a better understanding of the fertilizer requirements for plant growth in PTS is needed. The purpose of this research was to determine the comparative fertilizer requirements for chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum ×grandiflora ‘Baton Rouge’) grown in PTS or a commercial peat-lite (PL) substrate. The PTS was prepared by grinding coarse (1-inch × 1-inch × 0.5-inch) pine chips from debarked loblolly pine logs in a hammer mill fitted with 3/16-inch screen. The PL substrate composed of 45% peat, 15% perlite, 15% vermiculite, and 25% bark was used for comparative purposes. Rooted chrysanthemum cuttings were potted in each of the substrates on 15 Oct. 2005 and 12 Apr. 2006 and were glasshouse grown. Plants were fertilized with varying rates of a 20N–4.4P–16.6K-soluble fertilizer ranging from 50 to 400 mg·L−1 nitrogen (N) with each irrigation. Plant dry weights and extractable substrate nutrient levels were determined. In 2005 and 2006, it required about 100 mg·L−1 N more fertilizer for PTS compared to PL to obtain comparable growth. At any particular fertilizer level, substrate electrical conductivity and nutrient levels were higher for PL compared to PTS accounting for the higher fertilizer requirements for PTS. Possible reasons for the lower substrate nutrients levels with PTS are increased nutrient leaching in PTS due to PTS being more porous and having a lower cation exchange capacity than PL, and increased microbial immobilization of N in PTS compared to PL. This research demonstrates that PTS can be used to grow a traditional greenhouse crop if attention is given to fertilizer requirements.


1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 226-227
Author(s):  
Carol E. Leda ◽  
Robert D. Wright

Abstract Boxwood liners, Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’, were container-grown for two years in a pine bark/peat moss medium amended with various particle sizes of dolomitic limestone. Adjustment of pH was more effectively accomplished with the finer particles. All treatments resulted in greater plant growth than the untreated control. A surface application of a commercially available pulverized dolomitic limestone was also effective in increasing the pH above the control treatment, and plants grown with the surface applied treatment were as large as any of the incorporated treatments.


HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 1561-1568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian E. Jackson ◽  
Robert D. Wright ◽  
Jake F. Browder ◽  
J. Roger Harris ◽  
Alex X. Niemiera

Recent interest in the use of wood substrates in horticulture crop production has justified the need for determining fertilizer requirements in these substrates compared with traditional pine bark (PB) and peatmoss substrates. The objective was to determine the response of japanese holly (Ilex crenata Thunb. ‘Compacta’) and azalea (Rhododendron obtusum Planck. ‘Delaware Valley’) grown in a pine tree substrate (PTS) (trade name WoodGro™) or milled PB to fertilizer rate. Pine tree substrate is produced from freshly harvested loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.) that are delimbed, chipped, and ground in a hammer mill to a desired particle size. Japanese holly plants were grown in 2.8-L containers in the fall of 2005 and again in the spring of 2007 with the addition of azalea. Plants grown in PTS or PB were fertilized by incorporating Osmocote Plus fertilizer (15N–3.9P–10K) at rates of 3.5, 5.9, 8.3 or 10.6 kg·m−3 for japanese holly and 1.2, 3.5, 5.9, or 8.3 kg·m−3 for azalea. After 3 months, shoot dry weights were determined for japanese holly and azalea. Japanese holly root dry weights were determined for both experiments, and substrate CO2 efflux (μmol CO2 m−2·s−1) was measured on the treatments at the end of the experiment using a LI-6400 soil CO2 flux chamber. In 2005, japanese holly shoot dry weights of PTS-grown plants were comparable to plants grown in PB at the 8.3 kg·m−3 fertility rate, and shoot dry weights of PTS-grown plants were higher than PB at the 10.6 kg·m−3 rate. In 2007, japanese holly and azalea shoot dry weights of PTS-grown plants were comparable to PB plants at the 5.9 kg·m−3 fertilizer rate. Both japanese holly and azalea achieved shoot growth in PTS comparable to shoot growth in PB with ≈2.4 kg·m−3 additional fertilizer for PTS. Substrate CO2 efflux rates were higher in PTS compared with PB indicating higher microbial activity, thereby increasing the potential for nutrient immobilization in PTS.


1987 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 212-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. C. Baldwin

Abstract Prediction equations based on 130 sample trees from thinned and unthinned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in central Louisiana are presented for the green and dry weights of aboveground tree components. Sample trees ranged from 2 to 21 in. dbh, 18 to 94 ft in height and from 9 to 55 yr in age. Significant differences in partial stem weight between trees from thinned and unthinned stands required development of separate sets of weight ratio equations. The range of the studies' observations increases the predictive applicability of planted loblolly pine biomass equations. South. J. Appl. For. 11(4):212-218.


1997 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gudaye Tasissa ◽  
Harold E. Burkhart ◽  
Ralph L. Amateis

Abstract Stem analysis data from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees grown in cutover, site-prepared plantations across the South were used to develop total and merchantable cubic-foot volume equations and implicit taper relationships for thinned and unthinned conditions. The data were obtained from trees felled during plot establishment for a thinning study and from trees felled during the second thinning of a portion of the same plots 12 yr later. The volume equations presented can be used to predict volume to any specified height or diameter limit for loblolly pine trees in thinned and unthinned stands on cutover site-prepared areas. The taper relationships enable the prediction of upper stem diameters and heights. South. J. Appl. For. 21(3):146-152.


2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Wright ◽  
Brian E. Jackson ◽  
Michael C. Barnes ◽  
Jake F. Browder

The objective of this study was to evaluate the landscape performance of annual bedding plants grown in a ground pine tree substrate (PTS) produced from loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda) or in ground pine bark (PB) when transplanted into the landscape and grown at three different fertilizer rates. Begonia (Begonia ×semperflorens-cultorum) ‘Cocktail Vodka’, coleus (Solenostemen scutellarioides) ‘Kingswood Torch’, impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) ‘Dazzler White’, marigold (Tagetes erecta) ‘Bonanza Yellow’, petunia (Petunia ×hybrid) ‘Wave Purple’, salvia (Salvia splendens) ‘Red Hot Sally’, and vinca (Catharanthus roseus) ‘Cooler Pink’ were evaluated in 2005, and begonia ‘Cocktail Whiskey’, marigold ‘Inca Gold’, salvia ‘Red Hot Sally’, and vinca ‘Cooler Pink’ were evaluated in 2006 and 2007. Landscape fertilizer rates were 1 lb/1000 ft2 nitrogen (N) in 2005 and 0, 1, and 2 lb/1000 ft2 N in 2006 and 2007. Visual observations throughout each year indicated that all species, whether grown in PTS or PB, had comparable foliage quality in the landscape trial beds during the growing period. With few exceptions, dry weight and plant size for all species increased with increasing fertilizer additions, regardless of the substrate in which the plants were grown. For the unfertilized treatment, when comparing plant dry weight between PB and PTS for each species and for each year (eight comparisons), PTS-grown plant dry weight was less than PB-grown plants in three out of the eight comparisons. However, there were fewer differences in plant dry weight between PTS- and PB-grown plants when fertilizer was applied (PTS-grown plants were smaller than PB-grown plants in only 2 of the 16 comparisons: four species, two fertilizer rates, and 2 years), indicating that N immobilization may be somewhat of an issue, but not to the extent expected. Therefore, the utilization of PTS as a substrate for the production of landscape annuals may be acceptable in the context of landscape performance.


1986 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia R. Ledbetter ◽  
Thomas G. Matney ◽  
Alfred D. Sullivan

Abstract Equations are presented for predicting the height and cubic foot volume (ib or ob) to any top diameter limit (ib or ob) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees grown on cutover site-prepared lands. Example applications of the equations are given. South. J. Appl. For. 10:241-244, Nov. 1986.


1986 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-6
Author(s):  
Ernst V. Brender

Abstract The total and merchantable heights of loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.) growing in the Piedmont area can be predicted from the site index of the stand and the tree-diameter class.


1987 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 190-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph L. Amateis ◽  
Harold E. Burkhart

Abstract Stem profile data from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees grown in cutover, site-prepared plantations across much of the South were used to develop total and merchantable cubic-foot volume equations. The equations presented here can be used for predicting total tree volume and merchantable volume to any height or top diameter limit. Implicit taper relationships associated with the merchantable volume equations allow prediction of upper stem diameters and heights. South. J. Appl. For. 11(4):190-192.


1987 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. David Lenhart ◽  
Terry L. Hackett ◽  
Charlie J. Laman ◽  
Thomas J. Wiswell ◽  
Jock A. Blackard

Abstract Equations are presented to estimate total or partial stem content in cubic feet and pounds (green or dry) for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliotti Engelm.) trees planted on non-old-fields in East Texas. Equations are included to estimate the content of the completetree (stem and branches). In addition, a set of compatible stem taper functions are described. South. J. Appl. For. 11(3):147-151.


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