Effects of Spring Versus Fall Sowing of Longleaf Pine Seeds in the Nursery on Field Performance
Despite advances in the production and planting of bare-root longleaf pine seedlings, problems continue to persist with first-year survival. Survival surveys conducted in 1988 and 1989 by the Georgia Forestry Commission showed survival rates of 35 and 47 percent, respectively, for longleaf pine seedlings planted in those years. In this paper,we look at the influence of season of seed sowing in the nursery on seedling survival in the field. In March and December of 1995, five sites were planted with bare-root longleaf pine seedlings, which were grown from fall- and spring-sown seed. Seedlings planted in March 1995 grown from spring-sown seeds had an average survival of 71 percent compared to 51 percent for seedlings grown from fall-sown seeds. Seedlings in the December 1995 planting grown from spring-sown seeds averaged 88 percent survival compared to 54 percent for seedlings from fall sowing. These results suggest that spring sowing of seeds in the nursery may improve field survival of longleaf pine seedlings over those sown in the fall.
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Author(s): Chuck Fore, James P. Barnett
Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 1998
Event:
Southern Forest Nursery Association Meeting
1998 - Lafayette, LA
