Abstract:

Pinus koraiensis is one of the most important native tree species in northeastern region of China. It is important to select optimum seedling age for transplantation in a given site condition according to both seedling quality and field performance. Four kinds of seedlings, such as S2－0, S2－1, S2－2, and F2－0, were used to test differences in seedling quality in Jiangmifeng Forest Country of Jinlin. In comparison with S2－0, height, root diameter, FOLR, and dry mass of S2－1 were increased by 100%, 108.2%, 100%, 398.4%, respectively. The N, P, and K contents were improved by 368.6%, 646.2%, 349.3%, respectively. S2－0 had only 67.5% of survival rate when being outplanted in one year, while the survival rate of S2－1 was improved by 20.6%, and therefore, it is necessary to transplant S2－0 seedlings in a nursery for further culture. When 2－0 seedlings were transplanted in the nursery for another 2-year culture (S2－2), minor improvement of seedling quality was shown compared with the seedlings transplanted for another 1-year culture (S2－1). No differences in survival and increment of root diameter were found between S2－2 and S2－0. Height in F2－0 when lifted and survival when outplanted in 1 year were improved by 35.4% and 5.6% in comparison to S2-0, respectively, indicating that sowing in the fall was able to increase seedling quality. FOLR of S2－2, S2－1, S2－0 and F2－0 were 18, 14, 7 and 7, respectively. And initial FOLR was correlated significantly with the survival, total height and root diameter of the seedlings when being outplanted for 1 year. Thus, FOLR could be one of the reliable, feasible indicators to predict field performance for Pinus koraiensis.

Key words: Pinus koraiensis, seedling age, seedling quality, field performance