Welcome to visit Scientia Silvae Sinicae，Today is

Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2015, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (9): 9-17.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20150902

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Different Nursery Substrates on Germination Rate and Seedling Growth of Thuja sutchuenensis

Qin Aili1, Guo Quanshui1, Jian Zunji1, Zhu Li1,2, Pei Shunxiang3, Zhao Zhilu4, Xing Jichou4   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of State Forestry Administration Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry Beijing 100091;
    2. College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology Luoyang 471003;
    3. Experimental Center of Forestry in North China, Chinese Academy of Forestry Beijing 102300;
    4. Forest Bureau of Kaixian County in Chongqing Kaixian 404500
  • Received:2015-03-11 Revised:2015-07-25 Online:2015-09-25 Published:2015-10-16

PDF (PC)

755

Abstract:

[Objective] The effects of different substrates on Thuja sutchuenensis seedling growth and its influence mechanism were investigated to provide a reference for matrix selection of seed breeding and high quality seedling cultivation. [Method] The seed breeding test was carried out in breeding nursery, located in Xuebaoshan National Nature Reserve and completely randomized in design and repeated for three times. Seeds were first presoaked to enhance germination rate and then cultured on three different substrates: FS (Forest humus:cultivated soil=1:1), GS (peat) and GPS (peat:vermiculite:pearlite=1:1:1) in line.[Result] Results indicated that: 1) Compared with substrate FS, substrates containing peat (GS and GPS) were better at regulating soil temperature. More specially, substrate GPS could increase the soil temperature and play a temperature-keeping role during September to next March when the temperature is lower. While substrate GS could lower substrate temperature at a certain level during April to August when the atmosphere temperature is relatively higher. 2) Substrate FS had the highest soil bulk density, then GS, and then GPS. However, the soil water-holding capacity (the soil maximum moisture capacity, the soil capillary moisture capacity and the soil non-capillary moisture capacity) was opposite (GPS >GS >FS). 3) The pH of three substrates were significantly different. The pH of substrate FS was weak alkaline (7.48), while substrate GS and GPS with weak acid (pH5.07 and 5.86, respectively). 4) Although soil fertility of three substrates could meet the basic need of seedling growth, substrates (GS and GPS) had a higher soil fertility than substrate FS. Field garden emergence rate and the seedling quality accorded with the soil physical and chemical properties of different substrates. In field garden emergence rate, substrate GS was the highest, and then GPS and FS. The proportion of FS for GS and GPS was only 23% and 27%, respectively. The difference of field garden emergence rate between GS and GPS was not significant. 5) The survey of seven seedling morphological indices (such as the seedling height, the ground diameter, the branch number, the length of principal root, the number of lateral root, theabove-ground and below-ground dry mass) investigation in three different stages and analysis of membership function value revealed that: substrate GPS had the best seedling quality, and then substrate GS.[Conclusion] The main reason for higher field garden emergence rate of substrates GS and GPS was their more loose soil texture, better water retention property and permeability than substrate FS. The mechanism of better quality seedlings for GS and GPS was their perfect coordination between water, fertilizer, gas and heat.

Key words: Thuja sutchuenensis, seed seedling, nur sery substrate, germination rate, seedling quality

CLC Number: