Abstract

BERNAOLA PAUCAR, Rosario Marilú et al. Plant quality of two pine species at nursery stage in a Double- Transplanting system. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.33, pp.74-93. ISSN 2007-1132.

The objective of this research was to assess the quality of the plants produced using the Double-Transplanting system, with different container volumes and fertilizers, for two conifer species -Pinus douglasiana and Pinus devoniana-, whose characteristics and quality indices in the nursery may allow the estimation of the success of their survival in field. 500 plants of each species, aged 12 months (125 plants per treatment) were selected. The plants were produced in polystyrene trays with a volume of 0.165 L per cavity; they were transplanted and kept in 1 and 5 L containers during five months, and were subjected to two different fertilization routines (with and without fertilizer). A block random design with a 22 factorial arrangement and four treatments per taxon was applied. The container volume had a positive effect on the growth variables in both taxa; however, only Pinus devoniana registered a positive response to added fertilizers. The N, Fe, Cu, Ca and Mn foliar contents showed a relationship with growth in the two studied pine species. In order to predict the survival rate in field, Dickson's index (QI) turned out to be the best quality indicator for P. douglasiana, while for P. devoniana it was the root container index (ICR). For this reason, and because it is easy to use, we propose the ICR as a practical method to determine the quality of the plant in the nursery.

Keywords : Pinus douglasiana Martínez; Pinus devoniana Lindl.; plant quality index; root container index; forest nursery; container volume.

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