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Home → Publications → Tree Planters' Notes → Tree Planters' Notes Volume 57, Number 2 (2014) → Effects of Foliar Urea Fertilization on Nitrogen Status of Containerized 2+0 Black Spruce Seedlings Produced in Forest Nurseries

Effects of Foliar Urea Fertilization on Nitrogen Status of Containerized 2+0 Black Spruce Seedlings Produced in Forest Nurseries

A 7-day study of foliar fertilization was carried out after fall budset of containerized 2+0 black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) to assess if one application of urea (U), alone or with surfactant (US), can lead to a rapid increase of foliar nitrogen (N) concentration. Two washing treatments of seedling shoots (W: 15 sec washing [control], WS: W + 5 min soaking) were also performed to evaluate their efficiency to remove urea residues from the needle surface before foliar N concentration analysis. At day 0 (2 hours after application), fertilized seedlings already had significantly greater foliar N concentration than unfertilized seedlings (NF) and after 7 days, it had increased 7 and 12 percent for U and US seedlings, respectively. The addition of a surfactant did not significantly improve N status. Foliar N concentration of fertilized seedlings was not significantly affected by washing treatments. These results indicate that foliar urea fertilization after budset is an effective tool for rapidly increasing foliar N concentration without affecting seedling shoot height.


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Author(s): Jean Gagnon, Josianne DeBlois

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 57, Number 2 (2014)

Volume: 57

Number: 2