scholarly journals Mulch and Fertilizer Management Practices for Organic Production of Highbush Blueberry. I: Plant Growth and Allocation of Biomass during Establishment

HortScience ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 1250-1261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Handell Larco ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik ◽  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Dan M. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Fertilizer Treatment ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Feather Meal ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
The Impact

A systems trial was established in Oct. 2006 to evaluate management practices for organic production of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The practices included: flat and raised planting beds; feather meal and fish emulsion fertilizer each applied at rates of 29 and 57 kg·ha−1 nitrogen (N); sawdust mulch, compost topped with sawdust mulch (compost + sawdust), or weed mat; and two cultivars, Duke and Liberty. Each treatment was irrigated by drip and weeds were controlled as needed. The planting was certified organic in 2008. After one growing season, allocation of biomass to the roots was greater when plants were grown on raised beds than on flat beds, mulched with organic mulch rather than a weed mat, and fertilized with the lower rate of N. Plants also allocated more biomass belowground when fertilized with feather meal than with fish emulsion. Although fish emulsion improved growth relative to feather meal in the establishment year, this was not the case the next year when feather meal was applied earlier. After two seasons, total plant dry weight (DW) was generally greater on raised beds than on flat beds, but the difference varied depending on fertilizer and the type of mulch used. Shoots and leaves accounted for 60% to 77% of total plant biomass, whereas roots accounted for 7% to 19% and fruit accounted for 4% to 18%. Plants produced 33% higher yield when grown on raised beds than on flat beds and had 36% higher yield with weed mat than with sawdust mulch. Yield was also higher when plants were fertilized with the low rate of fish emulsion than with any other fertilizer treatment in ‘Duke’ but was unaffected by fertilizer source or rate in ‘Liberty’. Although raised beds and sawdust or sawdust + compost produced the largest total plant DW, the greatest shoot growth and yield occurred when plants were mulched with weed mat or compost + sawdust on raised beds in both cultivars. The impact of these organic production practices on root development may affect the sustainability of these production systems over time, however, because plants with lower root-to-shoot ratios may be more sensitive to cultural or environmental stresses.

scholarly journals Costs of Establishing Organic Northern Highbush Blueberry: Impacts of Planting Method, Fertilization, and Mulch Type

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 866-873 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. Julian ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik ◽  
Handell O. Larco ◽  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Dan M. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Feather Meal ◽  
Net Returns ◽  
Lemon Grass ◽  
Northern Highbush Blueberry

A systems trial was established to evaluate factorial management practices for organic production of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The practices included: flat and raised planting beds; feather meal and fish emulsion fertilizer applied at 29 and 57 kg·ha−1 of nitrogen (N); sawdust mulch, compost topped with sawdust mulch (compost + sawdust), or weed mat; and two cultivars, Duke and Liberty. The planting was established in Oct. 2006 and was certified organic in 2008. Weeds were managed by hand-hoeing or pulling in sawdust and weed mat-mulched plots and a combination of hand-pulling, propane-flaming, and post-emergent, targeted applications of acetic acid or lemon grass oil to any weeds present in the compost + sawdust plots depending on year. Data were recorded on input costs and returns in Year 0 (establishment year) through Year 3. Plants were harvested beginning the second year after planting. Planting costs were $741/ha higher on raised beds than on the flat, but the higher costs were more than offset by an average of 63% greater yields that improved net returns by as much as $2861/ha. Cumulative net returns after 3 years were negative and ranged from –$32,967 to –$50,352/ha when grown on raised beds and from –$34,320 to –$52,848/ha when grown on flat beds, depending on cultivar, mulch, and fertilizer rate and source. The greatest yields were obtained in plants fertilized with the low rate of fish emulsion or the high rate of feather meal, but fertilizing with fish emulsion by hand cost (materials and labor) as much as $5066/ha more than feather meal. Higher costs of establishment and pruning for ‘Liberty’ compared with ‘Duke’ were offset by higher net returns in all treatment combinations, except feather meal fertilizer with either weed mat or compost + sawdust mulch. Mulch type affected establishment costs, weed presence, and weed management costs, which included product and labor costs for application of herbicides (acetic acid and lemon grass oil) as well as labor for hand-weeding as needed, depending on the treatment. The highest yielding treatment combinations (growing on raised beds mulched with compost + sawdust and fertilized with fish emulsion) improved cumulative net returns as much as $19,333/ha over 3 years.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF PARTIALLY ACIDULATED ROCK PHOSPHATE ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE IN A CALCAREOUS SOIL COMPARED WITH SOME TRADITIONAL PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Al-Kubissi & Al-Hadethi
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Rock Phosphate ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Individual Plant ◽  
Soluble Phosphate ◽  
Phosphate Fertilizers ◽  
Plant Seed ◽  
Partially Acidulated Rock Phosphate ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
The Impact

Two experiments were conducted to study the impact of adding partial acidulated rock phosphate in comparison with traditional phosphate fertilizers. First experiment was conducted to study Kinetics of P release from partially acidulated pock phosphate (30, 40, 50, 60, and 70%) or from TSP and SSP at 80 kg P ha-1. The results showed that the release of phosphorous from acidified rock phosphate was characterized by 1st  order kinetics with high (R2) and lowest SEe. TSP gave the highest quantity of soluble phosphate in aliquot compared to SSP. The 2nd experiment was a field one aimed to study the effect of partial acidulated rock phosphate on growth and yield of maize compared in comparison to TSP and SSP. The results showed that partially acidulated RP at 70% level was superior for all parameters of growth and yield of maize over all other treatments. The 70% partially acidulated gave the highest, plant dry matter, seed weight for individual plant, total plant seed yield, which was in value of, 332.20 gm.plant-1, 181.5 gm.plant-1 and 13.625 Mg.ha-1 respectively, but with no significant differences than 60%.therfore , 60% acidulation can be recommended under used  management practices.

scholarly journals Northern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars Differed in Yield and Fruit Quality in Two Organic Production Systems from Planting to Maturity

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 844-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadine C. Strik ◽  
Amanda J. Vance ◽  
Chad E. Finn
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Berry Weight ◽  
Northern Highbush Blueberry ◽  
On Farm

Northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars were evaluated from planting (Oct. 2006) through 2014 in a certified organic research site in Aurora, OR. The treatments included cultivar (Duke, Bluecrop, Reka, Bluejay, Bluegold, Draper, Legacy, Liberty, Ozarkblue, and Aurora), amendment-mulch [“compost + sawdust” (included preplant amendment and a surface mulch of either an agricultural on-farm crop waste compost or yard-debris compost and sawdust), and “weed mat” (no preplant amendments but with a sawdust mulch topped with weed mat)]. Adding on-farm compost as a preplant amendment and as part of the mulching program increased soil pH from 4.9 to 6.9, organic matter content (OM), and calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) levels compared with the weed mat treatment. The reduced plant growth and yield in some cultivars grown in the compost + sawdust treatment was likely due to the higher soil pH. ‘Bluegold’ and ‘Draper’ were among the cultivars with consistently high flower bud set (40% to 57%), whereas others had consistently low values (e.g., 22% to 45% in ‘Bluecrop’). The number of flowers per bud was affected only by cultivar. There was no effect of year or amendment-mulch treatment on percent fruit set which averaged 93% during the study; however, ‘Ozarkblue’ had a significantly lower fruit set (88%) than only ‘Aurora’ (96%). Berry weight was affected by year (plant age), cultivar, and amendment-mulch treatment. ‘Ozarkblue’ produced the largest berries. Type of amendment-mulch had little effect on berry weight, except in ‘Ozarkblue’, ‘Aurora’, and ‘Reka’ where plants grown with weed mat produced larger fruit than those grown with compost + sawdust. On average, ‘Bluejay’, ‘Draper’, and ‘Liberty’ fruit had the highest percent soluble solids (TSS) and ‘Ozarkblue’ the lowest. Fruit harvested from plants grown with weed mat were firmer than when compost + sawdust was used. ‘Draper’ fruit were much firmer than those of the other cultivars in all years of the study. The number of flower buds per plant multiplied by the number of flowers/bud and berry weight (cultivar specific) and average fruit set was a good predictor of yield in young plants. Yield per plant increased from the second through seventh growing seasons as plants matured in all cultivars except for ‘Duke’ which had the greatest yield in 2014. Cumulative yield was highest in ‘Legacy’ and lowest in ‘Bluejay’ and in ‘Draper’, which had relatively low yield when plants were young. Most cultivars had greater yield when grown with weed mat, whereas ‘Bluegold’ and ‘Liberty’ were unaffected by amendment-mulch treatment. Because weeds were managed in all plots, the cultivar response to amendment-mulch was likely a reflection of sensitivity to preplant amendment with on-farm compost and the resulting higher soil pH. It is possible that the cultivars differed in their adaptability to the various fertility regimes caused by the amendment-mulch treatments and fertilizers used in our study.

scholarly journals Developing an Organic Production System for Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Sciarappa ◽  
Sridhar Polavarapu ◽  
James Barry ◽  
Peter Oudemans ◽  
Mark Ehlenfeldt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Production System ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Weed Species

Four significant developments have occurred that amplify opportunity for certified organic growers to grow highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) successfully. First, there is the 2002 U.S. Department of Agriculture national organic standard that defines organic production practices and crop labels that creates clarity and evens competition. Second, we have the continued increase of smallfruit and vegetable sales related to nutritional and human health reasons and the related market perception valuing organic produce more highly. Third, new tools are becoming available to organic growers that reduce the risk from pest problems such as the recent Organic Materials Review Institute listing of spinosad registered as a wettable powder (Entrust) and a fruit fly bait (GF-120 NF Naturalyte). Finally, the Rutgers Blueberry Working group has made considerable progress in refining integrated pest management practices and in developing new tools for organic production systems. This “work-in-progress” is investigating alternative approaches to some current agricultural practices in soil building, fertility, cultural approaches, and pest management. The authors' 7-year program has demonstrated organic methods in managing new sources of mulch, two key insect pests, two common diseases, and several weed species in establishing a commercial organic production system for highbush blueberries. As a programmatic result, organic acreage in New Jersey has increased from 0 to more than 150 acres, and more than 40 organic growers have adopted parts of this holistic production system in North America.

scholarly journals Mulch and Fertilizer Management Practices for Organic Production of Highbush Blueberry. II. Impact on Plant and Soil Nutrients during Establishment

HortScience ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 1484-1495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Handell Larco ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik ◽  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Dan M. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Nutrients ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
First Year ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Feather Meal ◽  
Leaf Nutrients ◽  
Second Year

A systems trial was established in Oct. 2006 to evaluate management practices for organic production of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The practices included: flat and raised planting beds; feather meal and fish emulsion fertilizer each applied at rates of 29 and 57 kg·ha−1 nitrogen (N); sawdust mulch, compost topped with sawdust mulch (compost + sawdust), or weed mat; and two cultivars, Duke and Liberty. Each treatment was irrigated by drip and weeds were controlled as needed. The planting was certified organic in 2008. Bed type affected most leaf nutrients measured in one or both cultivars during the first year after planting, including N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), boron (B), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), but had less of an effect on leaf nutrients and no effect on soil pH, organic matter, or soil nutrients measured the next year. Feather meal contained 12 times more Ca and seven times more B than fish emulsion and resulted in higher levels of soil Ca and soil and leaf B in both cultivars, whereas fish emulsion contained three times more P, 100 times more K, and 60 times more copper (Cu) and resulted in higher levels of soil P, K, and Cu as well as a higher level of leaf P and K. Fish emulsion also reduced soil pH. Compost + sawdust mulch increased soil pH and organic matter and resulted in higher levels of soil nitrate-N (NO3-N), P, K, Ca, B, Cu, and Zn than sawdust alone and increased leaf K and B. Weed mat, in contrast, resulted in the lowest soil pH and increased soil ammonium-N (NH4-N). Weed mat also reduced soil Ca and Mg, but its effects on leaf nutrients were variable. Leaf Ca, Mg, and B were below levels recommended for blueberry the first year after planting when plants were fertilized with fish emulsion, whereas leaf N was low or deficient on average in the second year when plants were fertilized with feather meal. Leaf B was also low the second year in all treatments, and leaf Cu was marginally low. Leaf K, conversely, increased from the previous year and was becoming marginally high with fish emulsion. Fish emulsion, weed mat, and compost were generally the most favorable practices in terms of plant and soil nutrition. However, given the impact of each on soil pH and/or plant and soil K, further investigation is needed to determine whether these practices are sustainable over the long term for both conventional and organic production of highbush blueberry.

INFLUENCE OF GREENHOUSE SHADING AND DIFFERENT NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON ALLEVIATING HEAT STRESS, IMPROVING PLANT NUTRIENTS STATUS, FLOWERING GROWTH AND YIELD OF TOMATO

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1001-1014
Author(s):  
Sulaiman & Sadiq
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Reproductive Growth ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Nutrition Programs ◽  
The Impact

The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse during 2017 and 2018 growing seasons to evaluate the impact of the shading and various nutrition programs on mitigating heat stress, reducing the use of chemical minerals, improving the reproductive growth and yield of tomato plant. Split-plot within Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was conducted in this study. Shading factor was allocated in the main plots and the nutrition programs distributed randomly in the subplots. Results indicate that shading resulted in the decrease of daytime temperature by 5.7˚C as an average for both seasons; thus a significant increasing was found in leaf contents of macro nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium), and micro nutrients (Iron, Zinc and Boron), except the Iron content in 2018 growing season. Furthermore, shading improved significantly the reproductive growth and tomato yield. Among the plant nutrition programs, the integrated nutrient management (INM) including the application of organic substances, bio inoculum of AMF and 50% of the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers; lead to the enhancement of nutrients content, reproductive characteristics and plant yield. Generally, combination of both shading and INM showed positive effects on plants nutrient status and persisting balance on tomato flowering growth and fruits yield.

scholarly journals Organic Production Systems in Northern Highbush Blueberry: I. Impact of Planting Method, Cultivar, Fertilizer, and Mulch on Yield and Fruit Quality from Planting through Maturity

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 1201-1213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadine C. Strik ◽  
Amanda Vance ◽  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Dan M. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Production System ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Feather Meal ◽  
Cumulative Yield ◽  
Planting Method ◽  
Flat Ground ◽  
Low Rate

A long-term trial was established in Oct. 2006 in western Oregon to identify organic production systems for maximum yield and quality in highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The planting was transitional during the first year after planting and was certified organic during fruit production (2008–16). Treatments included planting method (on raised beds or flat ground), fertilizer source (granular feather meal or fish solubles), and rate (“low” and “high” rates of 29 and 57 kg·ha−1 N during establishment, increased incrementally as the planting matured to 73 and 140 kg·ha−1 N, respectively), mulch [sawdust, yard debris compost topped with sawdust (compost + sawdust), or black, woven polyethylene groundcover (weed mat)], and cultivar (‘Duke’ and ‘Liberty’). Mulches were replenished, as needed, and weeds were controlled throughout the study. Raised beds resulted in greater yield than flat ground during the establishment years but had less effect on yield once the plants were mature. After 9 years, cumulative yield was 22% greater on raised beds than on flat ground in ‘Liberty’ but was unaffected by planting method in ‘Duke’. Cumulative yield was also 10% greater with feather meal than with fish solubles, on average, and 4% greater with the low rate than with the high rate of fertilizer. ‘Duke’ was particularly sensitive to fertilizer source and produced 35% less yield overall with fish solubles than with feather meal. By contrast, there was relatively little effect of fertilizer source or rate on yield in ‘Liberty’. In five of 9 years, yield was 8% to 20% greater with weed mat than with sawdust or compost + sawdust. Mulch type had no effect on cumulative yield of ‘Duke’, but cumulative yield of ‘Liberty’ was 11% greater with weed mat than with sawdust or compost + sawdust. Soil temperature was warmer under weed mat than under sawdust, and plants on raised beds covered with weed mat required more irrigation than those grown on flat ground mulched with sawdust. ‘Duke’ produced heavier, larger, and firmer berries with lower total soluble solids (TSS) than ‘Liberty’. However, other treatment effects on berry quality were relatively small and inconsistent. For example, berry weight was greater on raised beds than on flat ground, on average, but only by 3% (0.06 g/berry). Plants on raised beds also produced berries with slightly lower TSS than those on flat ground (15.2% and 15.7%, respectively, in ‘Liberty’, and 13.1% and 13.3%, respectively in ‘Duke’). There was no effect of fertilizer source or rate on TSS in ‘Liberty’ (15.5% on average), whereas in ‘Duke’, TSS was highest when fertilized at the high (13.7%) or low (13.4%) rate of fish, and was lower when using feather meal (12.9% and 13.1% for low and high rate, respectively). Plants fertilized with fish produced firmer fruit than with feather meal in five of the 7 years in which the measurements were taken. Also, fertilization with the higher rate of either product increased berry firmness compared with the low rate in six of the 7 years. The impact of mulch was inconsistent through the study period. On average, ‘Duke’ berries were softest when fertilized with the low (173 g·mm−1 deflection) and high (176 g·mm−1) rates of feather meal and were the firmest with the high rate of fish (182 g·mm−1). In ‘Liberty’, the low rate of feather meal produced softer fruit (157 g·mm−1) than the other fertilizer treatments (162 g·mm−1 on average). When this study was initiated in 2006, the most common organic production system in this region was raised beds with sawdust mulch and fertilizing with a high rate of fish solubles. For this production system, yield for mature plants in our study (2014−16) was the equivalent of 8.9−12.3 t·ha−1 in ‘Duke’ and 11.8−23.7 t·ha−1 in ‘Liberty’. However, when plants were grown on raised beds with weed mat and fertilized with the high rate of feather meal, yield increased to 10.2−19.3 t·ha−1, depending on year, in ‘Duke’. By contrast, there was little effect of production system on yield of mature ‘Liberty’ plants. These yields, particularly for the best-performing treatment combination in ‘Duke’, are similar to what are observed in commercial conventional fields or organic farms using similar management practices. Our results showed that choice of organic production system can have significant impact on yield and economic costs and returns.

scholarly journals Effect of Organic Fertilization and Mulching on Growth and Yield of Brassica Olerracea L. Var. Capitata

2021 ◽  
Vol 910 (1) ◽  
pp. 012079
Author(s):  
Harith B. Al-Din Abdul Rahman ◽  
Hassan H. Hajim
Keyword(s):  
Plant Height ◽  
Poultry Manure ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Fertilizer Treatment ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Organic Fertilization ◽  
Plant Yield ◽  
Split Plot ◽  
Total Plant

Abstract The experiment was carried out at the Research Station of the Department of Horticulture dept. of Tikrit University for the season 2020-2021 to investigate the effect of organic fertilization with treatments (control, poultry manure, and Humobacter fertilizer) and mulching type with four Mulching type (no mulching, black mulch, white mulch, and yellow mulch). A randomized complete blocks (RCBD) design and a split-plot method were used in the experiment, which included three replications. The Humobacter fertilizer treatment considerably outperformed of plant height, and overall plant yield, which were 21.69 cm, and 46.55 tons -1, respectively, compared to 19.03 cm, and 28.10 tons -1, respectively, As for the mulch treatments, the yellow mulch treatments were achieved the best values of number leaves, plant yield for one plant and the total plant yield, 16.81 leaf-1, 50.38 cm, 1.42 kg and 47.31 tons -1, respectively.

scholarly journals Mixtures of Coal Ash and Compost as Substrates for Highbush Blueberry

2002 ◽  
Vol 127 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent L. Black ◽  
Richard H. Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Size ◽  
Bottom Ash ◽  
Coal Ash ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Elemental Content ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Clay Loam ◽  
Fruit Samples ◽  
Total Growth

Bottom ash from a coal-fired power plant and two composts were tested as components of soil-free media and as soil amendments for growing highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Combinations of ash and compost were compared to Berryland sand, and Manor clay loam, and compost amended Manor clay loam. The pH of all treatment media was adjusted to 4.5 with sulfur at the beginning of the experiment. In 1997, plants of `Bluecrop' and `Sierra' were planted in 15-dm3 pots containing the pH-adjusted treatment media. The first substantial crop was harvested in 1999. At the end of the 1999 season, one half of the plants were destructively harvested for growth analysis. The remaining plants were cropped again in 2000. Yield and fruit size data were collected in both seasons, and leaf and fruit samples were collected in 1999 for elemental analysis. The presence of coal ash or composted biosolids in the media had no detrimental effect on leaf or fruit elemental content. Total growth and yield of both cultivars was reduced in clay loam soil compared to Berryland sand, whereas growth and yield of plants in coal ash-compost was similar to or exceeded that of plants in Berryland sand.

scholarly journals The Effect of Nutrient Regime on Biomass Allocation and Nutrient Accumulation in Red Oak Seedlings

HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 859F-859
Author(s):  
Jill C. Larimer ◽  
Dan Struve
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Fertilizer Treatment ◽  
Total N ◽  
Whole Plant ◽  
Total Plant Biomass ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
Stems And Leaves

ln Spring 1993, red oaks (Quercus rubra) were propagated from seed. From June through October, plants were fertilized twice daily with 1.4 liters of 20N–10P–20K water-soluble fertilizer solution at concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, or 400 ppm N. Destructive harvests were conducted six times at intervals from June through Dec. 1993. Leaf area, stem height, root length, root area, and dry weights of roots, stem, and leaves of harvested plants were measured and tissue nutrient concentrations were analyzed. There was no relationship between whole-plant N concentration and total plant biomass (r = 0). However, there were some linear relationships between total plant N and total plant biomass for an individual fertilizer treatment. Biomass allocation between root, stems, and leaves was very consistent across all fertilizer levels at any one harvest. Percent total N in roots, stems, and leaves also was fairly consistent across fertilizer levels. This was true at each harvest, except the first two, in which a greater percentage of total N was partitioned to the leaves and a smaller percentage was partitioned to the roots in the high (100, 200, 400 ppm N) fertilizer treatments. Whole-plant K concentrations increased with increasing fertilizer level, but decreased over time. Whole-plant P concentrations increased linearly with whole-plant dry weight in the higher (100, 200, 400 ppm N) fertilizer treatments.

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