Research Article | Published: 01 December 2011

Influence of sieve sizes for media preparation on growth and seedling quality of tropical trees in root trainers

Sanjay Singh, N. P. S. Nain and S. P. Tripathi

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 34 | Issue: 4 | Page No. 423-426 | 2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2011-JBVD12 | Cite this article

Abstract

Experiments were conducted employing six different types of sieve sizes of wire-mesh (5.8 mm2 or 3 square hole cm-2, 4 mm2 or 6 square hole cm-2, 3.3 mm2 or 9 square hole cm-2, 3 mm2 or 11 square hole cm-2, 2.5 mm2 or 16 square hole cm-2 and 2 mm2 or 24 square hole cm-2) for preparation of growing media to grow planting stock of four tropical broadleaved forestry species Acacia catechu, Azadirachta indica, Phyllanthus emblica and Pongamia pinnata in root trainers. Morphological (height and root collar diameter), biomass (shoot biomass, root biomass and total biomass) and seedling quality parameters (sturdiness quotient, root-shoot ratio, volume index and Dickson quality index) of the raised seedlings were recorded after four months of growth. Significant positive correlation of increase in sieve size of wire –mesh and combined biomass (r= 0.876, p <0.05) and volume production (r= 0. 966, p <0.01) in all the species was recorded. The sieve size of wire-mesh having 5.8 mm2 or 3 square hole cm-2 appeared to be the best for preparation of uniform growing media with appropriate physical structure to raise planting stock of Acacia catechu, Azadirachta indica, Phyllanthus emblica and Pongamia pinnata in root trainers.

Keywords

Saturation, Collar diameter, Volume index, Dickson quality index, Compaction

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

Get access to the full version of this article. Buy Full Access in HTML Format

References

1. Caron, J. and Nkongolo, V.K.N. (1999). Aeration in growing media: recent developments. Acta Horti., 481: 545–551.  https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.481.64

Google Scholar

2. Colin, T.S.S. and Van den Driessche, R. (2000). Response of soil CO2 and O2 concentrations to forest soil compaction at the long-term soil productivity sites in central British Columbia. Canadian J. of Soil Sci., 80: 625-632.  https://doi.org/10.4141/S99-085

Google Scholar

3. Dickson A., Leaf, A.L., Hosner, J.F. (1960). Quality appraisal of white spruce and white pine seedling stock in nurseries. For. Chronicle, 36: 10-13.  https://doi.org/10.5558/tfc36010-1

Google Scholar

4. Froehlich, H.A. and McNabb, D.H. (1984). Minimizing soil compaction in Pacific Northwest forests. In: Forest Soils and Treatment Impact (ed. E. L. Stone), Department of Forestry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Google Scholar

5. Gomez, K.A. and Gomez, A.A. (1984). Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research. Wiley, Singapore.

Google Scholar

6. Jordon, D., Ponder, Jr. F. and Hubbard, V.C. (2003). Effect of soil compaction, forest leaf litter and nitrogen fertilizer on two oak species and microbial activity. Applied Soil Ecol., 23: 33-41.  https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(03)00003-9

Google Scholar

7. Jusoff, K. (1991). Effect of compaction of soils on growth of Acacia mangium Willd. Under glasshouse conditions. New For., 5: 61-66.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00037552

Google Scholar

8. Kozlowski, T.T. (1999). Soil compaction and growth of woody plants. Scandinavian J. of For. Res. 14: 596-619. https://doi.org/10.1080/02827589908540825

Google Scholar

9. Richards, D., Lane, M. and Beardsell and D.V. (1986). The influence of particle-size distribution in pinebark:sand:brown coal potting mixes on water supply, aeration and plant growth. Scientia Horti., 29: 1-14.  https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(86)90025-7

Google Scholar

10. Sand, R. and Bowen, G. D. (1978). Compaction of sandy soils in radiata pine forests. II. Effect of compaction on root configuration and growth of radiata pine seedlings. Australian J. of For. Res., 8: 163-170.

Google Scholar

11. Singh, Sanjay, Bhandari, A.S., Jharia, S.K., Kunjam, K.K. and Shukla, P.K. (2004). Suitability of compost-based growing media for raising planting stock of tropical trees in root trainers. Myforest, 40: 69-76.

12. Singh, Sanjay, Nain, N.P.S. and Tripathi, S.P. (2008). Growing tropical trees in root trainers: cell volume, seedling density and growing media. Annals of Trop. Res., 30: 44-55.  https://doi.org/10.32945/atr3024.2008

Google Scholar

13. Startsev, A.D. and McNabb, D.H. (2001). Skidder traffic effects on water retention, pore-size distribution and van Genuchten parameters of boreal forest soils. Soil Sci. Soc. of America J. 65: 224-231.  https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2001.651224x

Google Scholar

14. Warkentin, B.P. (1984). Physical properties of forest-nursery soils: relation to seedling growth. In: Forest Nursery Manual: Production of Bareroot Seedlings, (Eds. M. L. Duryea and T. D. Landis), Martinus Nijhoff/ Dr. W. Junk Publishers, The Hauge.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6110-4_6

Google Scholar

About this article

How to cite

Singh, S., Nain, N.P.S. and Tripathi, S.P., 2011. Influence of sieve sizes for media preparation on growth and seedling quality of tropical trees in root trainers. Indian Journal of Forestry, 34(4), pp.423-426. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2011-JBVD12

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 December 2011

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: