Overwinter Storage of European Beech and Norway Spruce Planting Stock: Effect of Different Methods and Temperature Conditions

Petra Pantová,Oldřich Mauer,Kateřina Houšková

doi:10.3390/f12091286

Abstract

The aim of this research was to compare methods of overwinter storage of forest tree species planting stock and to specify of the optimal and the minimal temperature for freezing. Planting stock of European beech and Norway spruce were stored three times over a period of dormancy (2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018) (1) in freezers, (2) in an air-conditioned warehouse, (3) in a cave and (4) in soil (bare-rooted plants) and at a holding area (containerized plants), i.e., an open storage. During storage, the vitality of plants was determined using the root electrolyte leakage (REL) parameter, and in 2016 also by restoring growth in a sample of plants. The stored plants were always planted in a forest research plot in the spring and their basic morphological parameters and mortality were evaluated at the end of the growing season. The most suitable temperature for storage of both bare-rooted and containerized beech and spruce was in the range from −3.4 °C to −1.7 °C. The plants after overwinter storage showed no significant mortality after planting–they showed a high vitality of the fine roots and a normal increment, and were not damaged by frost, mold or other negative factors during storage.

Highlights

IntroductionPlanting stock is usually left over the winter in soil (bare-rooted plants) or at a holding area (containerized plants), and lifted up and planted in the spring [3]
Overwinter storage of planting material, i.e., its storage over one period of dormancy [1], is becoming an increasingly important and costly part of nursery production [2].Planting stock is usually left over the winter in soil or at a holding area, and lifted up and planted in the spring [3]
This study has confirmed some information known about overwinter storage of plants, compared its methods and specified the optimal temperature values and limits which depend on the tree species, the type of planting stock and the length of storage period

Summary

Introduction

Planting stock is usually left over the winter in soil (bare-rooted plants) or at a holding area (containerized plants), and lifted up and planted in the spring [3]. Containerized plants are deposited on the surface of the holding area and the free sides are covered by strips of rubber [2]. Another possibility of eliminating the effect of frost is use of special packaging–Styrofoam [5] or overwintering of plants in natural snow or in artificial snow produced by snow cannons [6,7]

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Methods

Discussion

Conclusion