Foliar Nitrogen Content at Lifting Correlates with Early Growth of Loblolly Pine Seedlings from 20 Nurseries

Abstract

Abstract Height growth of outplanted loblolly pine seedlings was monitored over a 3-year period. Growth of seedlings from 20 nurseries was correlated with initial seedling characteristics from paired samples. Height growth during the first 6 months after planting was negatively correlated with the initial seedling height and shoot/root ratio and was positively correlated with root growth potential (RGP) and root weight. However, these variables were not significantly correlated with later growth. Foliar nitrogen content (mg of foliar nitrogen per seedling) was positively correlated with both initial and subsequent field growth. Foliar nitrogen content was the only variable that was significantly correlated with diameter growth and volume growth during the third year after planting. This variable accounted for 36% of the variation among sample means for 3-year height growth. These data support a previous report that field performance of loblolly pine seedlings during the first 3 years in the field can be influenced by the foliar nitrogen content at lifting. South. J. Appl. For. 12(3):181-185.