Keywords
agrofiber container
planting material
growth parameters
survivability Pinus sylvestris L.
контейнер з агроволокна
садивний матеріал
показники росту
приживлюваність
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction
Fertilization is an integral component of forest nursery management for producing high-quality standard seedlings for reforestation and afforestation. It significantly enhances plant growth, increases nutrient reserves and improves resistance to drought and adverse biotic and abiotic factors., However, there is currently limited information on the effectiveness of different fertilizer types, particularly complex fertilizers, in the cultivation of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings and their subsequent use in forest plantation establishment.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of various fertilizers on the biometric parameters, biomassand yield of standard container-grown Scots pine seedlings, as well as on the growth and survivability of plantations established using these seedlings in Kharkiv Forest Research Station.
Materials and Methods
The research was conducted in 2020. Scots pine seedlings were grown in protected ground conditions in cylindrical agrofiber containers with a volume of 700 cm3. The growing substrate was composed of a 1:1 volume ratio of well-humified dark gray medium loamy and sandy loamy soils, mixed further with peat and humus in a 3:1:0.25 ratio.
During the growing season, the seedlings were fertilized twice using four types of complex fertilizers: Partner Standard, Master, Rost Kontsentrat and Help Rost, applied at rates recommended by the manufacturers. Pine seedlings grown in containers without fertilizers served as the control.
The effectiveness of the tested fertilizers was evaluated based on biometric parameters and air-dry biomass of aboveground and root parts of Scots pine seedlings. Growth and survivability of one-year-old plantations established with these seedlings were also assessed.
Data were analyzed using variation statistics in Microsoft Excel, with differences between the control and experimental treatments tested at the 5% significance level.
Results
Seedlings treated with fertilizers exhibited significantly higher biometric values compared to the control. In fertilized treatments, seedling height increased by up to 40%, root collar diameter by up to 20%, aboveground biomass by up to 27%, and root biomass by up to 59%.
The highest biometric parameters and biomass were observed in seedlings treated with Partner Standard 20:20:20 and Partner Standard 35:10:10 fertilizers, while the lowest values were recorded with Master fertilizer.
The proportion of standard-grade one-year-old seedlings ranged from 82% to 95% in fertilized treatments, compared to 76% in the control.
Forest plantations established with fertilized container-grown seedlings showed superior growth indicators – height increased by up to 29%, height increment by up to 21%, and root collar diameter by up to 19% – as well as higher survivability (86–92%) compared to plantations established with unfertilized seedlings (84%).
Conclusions. The results confirm the effectiveness of complex fertilizers such as Partner Standard, Master, Rost Kontsentrat, and Help Rost at recommended rates to enhance the growth and quality of container-grown Scots pine seedlings cultivated in protected conditions. These seedlings also demonstrate improved performance and survivability when used for reforestation and afforestation.
4 Figs., 2 Tables, 25 Refs.
References
About approval of the Instruction on design, technical acceptance, accounting and quality assessment of forestry objects (2010). Approved by the order of the State Forest Management Committee of Ukraine dated 19 August 2010. No 260. Kyiv: State Forestry Committee (in Ukrainian).
Andreieva, O.Yu., Huzii, A.I. and Karchevskyi, R.A. (2016) ‘Some parameters of pine growth in plantations created with potted planting material’, Scientific Bulletin of UNFU, 26(3), pp. 9–14 (in Ukrainian). https://doi.org/10.15421/40260301
Ayan, S. and T?fek?io?lu, A. (2006) ‘Growth responses of Scots pine seedlings grown in peat-based media amended with natural zeolite’, Journal of Environmental Biology, 27, рр. 27–34.
Containerized seedlings of Scots pine. Specifications. State standard of Ukraine 9247:2023 (2023). Kyiv: State Standard of Ukraine (in Ukrainian).
Danylenko, O.M., Yushchyk, V.S. and Rumiantsev, M.Н. (2024) ‘Effectiveness of the use of plant growth stimulants when creating Scots pine forest plantations in Kharkiv Forest Research Station’, Forestry and Forest Melioration, 144, pp. 69–79 (in Ukrainian). https://doi.org/10.33220/1026-3365.144.2024.69
Danylenko, O.M., Yushchyk, V.S., Rumiantsev, M.Н. and Mostepaniuk, A. A. (2021) ‘Some features of the growth and condition of pine plantations created by different planting material’, Scientific Bulletin of UNFU, 31(1), pp. 26–29 (in Ukrainian). https://doi.org/10.36930/40310104
Islam, M.A., Apostol, K.G., Jacobs, D.F. and Dumroese, R.K. (2009) ‘Fall fertilization of Pinus resinosa seedlings: nutrient uptake, cold hardiness, and morphological development’, Annals of Forest Science, 66, 704. https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009061
Gruffman, L., Ishida T., Nordin, A. and N?sholm, T. (2012) ‘Cultivation of Norway spruce and Scots pine on organic nitrogen improves seedling morphology and field performance’, Forest Ecology and Management, 276, pp. 118–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2012.03.030
Hordiienko, M.I., Huz, M.M., Debryniuk, Yu.M. and Maurer, V.M. (2005) Forest plantations. Lviv: Kamula (in Ukrainian).
Hrom, M.M. (2005) ‘Stimulating the growth of juvenile forest plantations by applying mineral fertilizers in the Western Forest-Steppe’, Scientific Bulletin of UNFU, 15(1), pp. 29–34 (in Ukrainian).
Lіalin, O.I. (2008) ‘Condition and growth of pine plantations created with containerized planting material’, Forestry and Forest Melioration, 113, pp. 93–100 (in Ukrainian).
Lіalin, O.I. (2012) Improvement of technology of growing of containerized planting material of pine and oak in the Left-bank Forest Steppe. PhD thesis. Kharkiv: URIFFM (in Ukrainian).
Lim, H., J?mtg?rd, S., Oren, R., Gruffman, L., Kunz, S. and N?sholm, T. (2022) ‘Organic nitrogen enhances nitrogen nutrition and early growth of Pinus sylvestris seedlings’, Tree Physiology, 42(3), pp. 513–522. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpab127
Marchuk, I.U., Henhalo, O.M. and Pinchuk, A.P. (2017) Fertilizers and their use in forestry and horticulture. A textbook for university students. Kyiv: Ekspo-Druk (in Ukrainian).
Popov, O.F. (2008) Intensification of growing pine planting material in the south of the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe. PhD thesis. Kharkiv: URIFFM (in Ukrainian).
Raspopina, S.P., Didenko, M.M., Bіla, Yu.M., Нoroshko, V.V. and Harmash, A.V. (2022) ‘The influence of growth stimulants on survival and growth of Pinus sylvestris in forest plantations of the Slobozhansky Forest Region of Ukraine’, Proceedings of the Forestry Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 24, pp. 120–128 (in Ukrainian). https://doi.org/10.15421/412210
Romakin, V.V. (2006) Computer data analysis: Tutorial. Mykolaiv: MDHU im. Petra Mohyly (in Ukrainian).
?pul?k, O. and Hacurov?, J. (2021) ‘The influence of growing medium composition on pine and birch seedling response during the period of simulated spring drought’, Journal of Forest Science, 67(8), pp. 385–395. https://doi.org/10.17221/39/2021-JFS
Taranenko, Yu.M. (2017) Features of Scots pine planting material growing from seeds with improved hereditary properties in the Left-bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. PhD thesis. Kharkiv: URIFFM (in Ukrainian).
Tilki, F. and Memisoglu, T. (2014) ‘Growth of Scots pine and silver birch seedlings on different nursery container media’, Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca, 42, pp. 565–572. https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha4229551
Troeng, E. and Ackzell, L. (1988) ‘Growth regulation of Scots pine seedlings with different fertilizer compositions and regimes’, New Forest, 2, pp. 119–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027763
URIFFM (2014) To improve technologies for creating forest plantations in large fires and growing planting material of major forest species. Report on research work on the topic No 16 for 2014 (final). [Ugarov, V. M., Ed.]. Kharkiv: URIFFM (in Ukrainian).
Van den Driessche, R. (1988) ‘Nursery growth of conifer seedlings using fertilizers of different solubilities and application time, and their forest growth’, Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 18, pp. 172–180. https://doi.org/10.1139/x88-027
Vasylevskyi, O.H., Yelisavenko, Yu.A., Tarnopilskyi, P.B. and Rumіantsev, M.Н. (2024). ‘Growth of forest plantations of the Scots pine and English oak established by different types of planting material in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe in Ukraine’. Forestry and Forest Melioration, 144, pp. 59–68 (in Ukrainian). https://doi.org/10.33220/1026-3365.144.2024.59
Westman, C. J. (1976) ‘Fertilization of containerized Scots pine seedlings with different nitrogen fertilizers’, Silva Fennica, 10(4), pp. 296–313.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.