Nursery Soil Research Articles

Pine Nursery Soil Test Information Sheet

Revised! SL-132, a 1-page illustrated fact sheet by Rao S. Mylavarapu, William d'Angelo, and Nancy Wilkinson, is the Pine Nursery Test Form used by the UF/IFAS Extension Analytical Services Laboratories. The sheet gives details about collecting samples and testing fees. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Sciences, February 2009. SL132/SS183: Pine Nursery Soil Test Form (ufl.edu)

Effect of pyroligneous acid (wood vinegar) on the microbial succession in a forest nursery soil.

Effect of pyroligneous acid (wood vinegar) on the microbial succession in a forest nursery soil.

Reproductive biology in the medicinal plant, Plumbago zeylanica L.

Plumbago zeylanica L. is an important medicinal plant traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases. Phenology from seed germination via vegetative growth to reproductive development was studied under glasshouse and nursery conditions. Seeds rapidly germinated on a mixture of nursery soil and cattle dung in a ratio of 3:1 filled in pots or on cultivated soil under nursery conditions as a prerequisite for vegetative and flowering phenological studies. Hypogeal germination characterizes the emergence of seedlings. Subsequent vegetative and flowering phenology between glass house and nursery field populations showed significant difference (p <0.05) in terms of time, duration and yield. Glass house populations completed their phenophases (seasonally) (72.3 ± 1.03%) within 133 days (15 March to 20 July, 2006) being under controlled conditions while field-grown seedlings extended to 225 days (15 March to 30 November, 2006) after seed sowing. Rainy season was the cause for the continuous damage of apical shoots, and consequently stunted vegetative growth of field-grown seedlings. Plant size (≥ 95 cm in height), leaves number (33 - 38) and seasonal climate (cold season for field-grown populations) were found to be the most eliciting signals for the initiation of flowering buds. 100 ppm GA3 was the most effective for early flowering (that is, before 6 days) and production of higher number of flowers (32.6 ± 1.6%) compared to the control (22.5 ± 1.33%). The mode of reproductive biology appeared to be cross-pollination and showed significant (p <0.05) compared to the control. The final flowering percentage (95.3 ± 1.71%) and/or seed-set (89.4 ± 1.41%) were obtained under glass house condition compared to the nursery, which dropped as low as 50% in flowering and seed-set. The study found that rainy season, plant size, leave number, low temperature, cross pollination and glass house conditions were found to be the most determining factors for the phenology of P. zeylanica. Key words: Growth regulators, medicinal plant, seasonal climate, plant size, growth environment.

Impact of addition of soil amendments and microbial inoculants on nursery growth of Populus deltoides and Toona ciliata

Present study evaluated growth of Populus deltoides G48 and Toona ciliata over a period of 6 months, in nursery soil amended with 10% fly ash (v/v), 5% distillery waste (v/v), 20% farmyard manure (v/v) and microbial consortium of Pseudomonas striata and Azotobacter sp. @ 30 ml/pot in different combinations leading to 12 different treatments with 16 replicates in completely randomized block design. Biometric parameters such as plant height, collar diameter and total dry biomass were analyzed which indicated that the treatment (T8) comprising of fly ash @ 10% (v/v), farmyard manure @ 20% (v/v) and microbial consortium @ 30 ml/pot promoted growth of P. deltoides. The results indicated that combined addition of fly ash, farm yard manure and microbial inoculants can be used as a good potting mixture for improving survival rates and plant growth in forestry nurseries.

Effect of soil alkalinity and organic matter on seedling emergence and growth attributes of Anjan (Hardwickia binata Roxb.)

An experiment was conducted to find out the effect of different soil alkaline pH and organic matter on germination, seedling growth attributes and bio-chemical constituents of Hardwickia binata Roxb. The seeds were sown in soil with different pH (8.1, 9.0, 10.2 and 10.5) mixed with sand + farm yard manure (2:1:1 ratio) and compared with control (red earth + sand + farm yard manure at 2:1:1 ratio). Fourteen days after sowing it was found that the seeds sown in normal nursery soil (mixture of red earth + sand + farm yard manure) showed maximum germination (89.0%) and initial seedling vigour (1568), which was similar with seeds sown in soil with pH 10.2 + sand + farm yard manure. In 180 days old seedlings, the biometric and biochemical constituents recorded were higher in control treatment. From this experiment, it could be concluded that the Hardwickia binata seeds sown in higher soil pH along with sand and farm yard manure mixture showed good germination, seedling growth and biochemical constituents.

The fate of entomopathogenic nematodes in nursery soils: implications on water quality

The fate of entomopathogenic nematodes in nursery soils: implications on water quality

Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi (Japanese Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition)

Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi (Japanese Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition)

The Antifungal Compound Totarol of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai Seeds Selects for Fungi on Seedling Root Surfaces

Hinoki-asunaro (Thujopsis dolabrata Sieb. et Zucc. var. hondai Makino) is a tree endemic in Japan whose seeds produce several terpenoids. We hypothesized that antifungal compounds in seeds might select for fungi on the root surfaces of T. dolabrata var. hondai seedlings. We examined seed and soil fungi, their sensitivity to methanol extracts of the seeds, the fungi on root surfaces of seedlings grown in Kanuma pumice (a model mineral soil) and nursery soil, and the frequency at which each fungus was detected on the seedling root surface. We calculated correlation coefficients between fungal detection frequency on root surfaces and fungal sensitivity to seed extracts. We also isolated from the seeds the antifungal compound totarol that selected for fungi on root surfaces. Species of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Pestalotiopsis, and Phomopsis were the most frequently isolated fungi from seeds. Mortierella and Mucor were the dominant fungi isolated from Kanuma pumice, whereas Umbelopsis and Trichoderma were the main fungi isolated from nursery soil. Alternaria, Cladosporium, Mortierella, Pestalotiopsis, and Phomopsis were the dominant fungi isolated from root surfaces of seedlings grown in Kanuma pumice, and Alternaria, Cladosporium, Pestalotiopsis, Phomopsis, and Trichoderma were the main root-surface fungi isolated from seedlings grown in nursery soil. The fungal detection frequencies on root surfaces in both soils were significantly and negatively correlated with fungal sensitivity to the seed extract. A similar correlation was found between the fungal detection frequency on root surfaces and fungal sensitivity to totarol. We conclude that totarol is one factor that selects for fungi on root surfaces of T. dolabrata var. hondai in the early growth stage.

Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi

Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi

Control of black foot disease in grapevine nurseries

Black foot disease of grapevines is a decline and dieback disease caused by a soilborne pathogen complex including Cylindrocarpon liriodendri, C. macrodidymum, Campylocarpon fasciculare and Campyl. pseudofasciculare. These pathogens cause primary infections of roots and basal ends of grafted cuttings in nursery soils. Thirteen fungicides were screened in vitro for mycelial inhibition of these pathogens. Prochloraz manganese chloride, benomyl, flusilazole and imazalil were the most effective fungicides tested, and were subsequently included in semi‐commercial field trials. Basal ends of grafted cuttings were dipped in various chemical and biological treatments prior to planting in open‐rooted nurseries. Black foot pathogens were not isolated from grafted cuttings prior to planting. Additional treatments involved soil amendments with Trichoderma formulations and hot water treatment of dormant nursery grapevines. Field trials were evaluated after eight months. Isolations from uprooted plants revealed low levels of black foot pathogens in the roots of untreated control plants, and significantly higher levels in basal ends of rootstocks. The incidence of black foot pathogens, as well as that of Petri disease pathogens, was not significantly and/or consistently reduced by the majority of chemical or biological treatments. However, these pathogens were not isolated from uprooted plants that were subjected to hot water treatment. It is therefore recommended that hot water treatment of dormant nursery plants be included in an integrated strategy for the proactive management of these diseases in grapevine nurseries.

Impact of Ectomycorrhizosphere on the Functional Diversity of Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities from a Forest Stand in Relation to Nutrient Mobilization Processes

The ectomycorrhizal symbiosis alters the physicochemical and biological conditions in the surrounding soil, thus creating a particular environment called ectomycorrhizosphere, which selects microbial communities suspected to play a role in gross production and nutrient cycling. To assess the ectomycorrhizosphere effect on the structure of microbial communities potentially involved in the mobilization of nutrients from the soil minerals in a poor-nutrient environment, we compared the functional diversity of soil and ectomycorrhizosphere bacterial communities in a forest stand. Two hundred and sixty-four bacterial strains and 107 fungal strains were isolated from the bulk soil of an oak (Quercus petraea) stand and from oak-Scleroderma citrinum ectomycorrhizosphere and ectomycorrhizae, in two soil organo-mineral horizons (0 to 3 cm and 5 to 10 cm). They were characterized using two in vitro tests related to their capacities to mobilize iron and phosphorus. We demonstrated that the oak-S. citrinum ectomycorrhizosphere significantly structures the culturable bacterial communities in the two soil horizons by selecting very efficient strains for phosphorus and iron mobilization. This effect was also observed on the diversity of the phosphate-solubilizing fungal communities in the lower soil horizon. A previous study already demonstrated that Laccaria bicolor-Douglas fir ectomycorrhizosphere structures the functional diversity of Pseudomonas fluorescens population in a forest nursery soil. Comparing to it, our work highlights the consistency of the mycorrhizosphere effect on the functional diversity of bacterial and fungal communities in relation to the mineral weathering process, no matter the fungal symbiont, the age and species of the host tree, or the environment (nursery vs forest). We also demonstrated that the intensity of phosphorus and iron mobilization by the ectomycorrhizosphere bacteria isolated from the lower soil horizon was significantly higher compared to that which was isolated from the upper horizon. This reveals for the first time a stratification of the functional diversity of the culturable soil bacterial communities as related to phosphorus and iron mobilization.

Effect of seed coverings and seed pretreatments on the germination response of Alnus glutinosa and Betula pubescens seeds

The germination of common alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) and downey birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) seeds is often poor in bare-root nurseries. The effect of a variety of seed coverings and a few seed pretreatments on seedling emergence was examined in this study in an attempt to address this problem. Seeds of each species were sown in trays containing nursery soil, covered with grit, gravel, sand, combinations of these coverings, a hydromulch or a sealed plastic cloche and then incubated for 6 weeks at 17–20°C. The grit combined with sand or gravel, the hydromulch and the cloche increased seedling emergence when compared with the standard grit. In another experiment, seeds of each species were fully imbibed (FI) (>50% moisture content, MC), as per standard practice, or adjusted to target MC (TMC) (30–35% MC) levels, and then chilled to release dormancy. Some seeds of each MC treatment were primed at 20°C for 2 days following chilling, after which all seeds were evaluated in laboratory tests and a nursery trial. Germination potential of the FI seeds declined in the lab tests by the second test date, which was reflected in low seedling emergence in the nursery in birch. The primed FI seeds of alder germinated most rapidly in the nursery, but other effects were not significant. Seedling emergence was better in the nursery in response to the TMC than the FI pretreatment in birch.

Effect of Soil, Sowing Depth and Sowing Date on Growth and Survival of Pistacia atlantica Seedlings

The effect of soil, sowing depth and sowing date on growth and survival of Pistacia atlantica seedlings was evaluated in nursery conditions. Pistacia atlantica is a deciduous tree species that belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. It is valuable in soil conservation and so suitable for plantation in dry lands. Regeneration of Pistacia atlantica in western part of Iran due to much destruction to its natural habitats has problems. Two levels of soil (Forest and nursery soil) and three levels of sowing date (9 and 29 January, 18 February) were used. In addition, seed were sown at three different depths (0, 4 and 8 cm) but no seedlings emerged when seeds were sown at 0 sowing depth. At the end of first growing season on September 2004 survival, height above the soil surface, collar diameter, shoot/root length ratio and shoot/root dry weight ratio were measured. Survival was significantly affected by sowing date and sowing depth but not by soil. Survival was greater at 4 cm than at 8 cm sowing depth and in 9 January and 29 January than in 18 February sowing dates. Collar diameter and height were significantly greater in nursery soil and 9 January and 29 January sowing date but were not different among sowing depths. Shoot/root ratio and shoot/root dry weight ratio were significantly lower in forest soil but not affected by sowing date. Shoot/root dry weight ratio was lower in 4 cm sowing depth while shoot/root ratio did not showed any difference among sowing depth. In general soil type, sowing date and sowing depth are factors that can be influence on physical and morphological traits of seedlings.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis NB22 Addition to Nursery Soils on Incidence of Clubroot Disease

Effects of Bacillus subtilis NB22 Addition to Nursery Soils on Incidence of Clubroot Disease

Nursery soil cover influences germination of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai seeds

We examined the influence of nursery soil cover on germination of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai. Seeds were sown under seeding bed conditions: (1) nursery soil (andosol) without soil cover, (2) Kanuma pumice without soil cover, (3) nursery soil with nursery soil cover, and (4) nursery soil with sterilized sand cover. Germination percentages were compared between these conditions. The germination percentage (8.8%) at 10 weeks after sowing under condition 3 was significantly lower than under conditions 1, 2, and 4 (56.8%, 52.0%, and 47.2%, respectively). Of the nongerminated seeds under condition 3, 75.0% were decayed and several fungi were isolated from decayed seeds. An inoculation test of isolated fungi Cylindrocarpon tenue, Cylindrocarpon sp., Fusarium oxysporum, and Botrytis sp. to seeds showed that these fungi caused seed decay. Our results indicated that nursery soil cover may not be suitable for T. dolabrata var. hondai seeds sown in nursery soil because of seed decay by pathogens.

Binucleate Rhizoctonia (Ceratorhiza spp.) as non-mycorrhizal endophytes alter Pinus sylvestris L. seedling root architecture and affect growth of rooted cuttings

The main aim of this study was to assess critically the effects of binucleate Rhizoctonia (BnR) inoculation on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedling and hypocotyl root architecture and early plant growth in tree seedling nursery soil, Sphagnum peat and forest humus. The BnR isolates (251, 266, 268, 269) stimulated early seedling growth in the nitrogen-limited nursery soil 86 days postinoculation (p.i.). These seedlings exhibited significantly higher root length and reduced root width, although percentage root infection levels were <6%. At a harvest 240 days p.i., no significant plant and root growth differences were identified, although short root numbers were significantly increased. BnR infection detected in roots was characterized by the presence of intercellular fungal hyphae and subtending intracellular monilioid fungal cells located in outer cortical cells of long roots. Similar endophytic infection morphology was detected in adventitious roots generated in prerooted hypocotyl cuttings [Kaparakis, G. & Sen, R. (2006). Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 21] exposed to all BnR isolates in nursery peat and forest humus, although isolate-specific cutting growth was detected. In conclusion, these BnR isolates, known to be genetically related to orchid mycorrhizal Ceratorhiza spp., are non-pathogenic and have the capacity to stimulate significantly early Scots pine root development in nursery soils and forest humus.

Ectomycorrhizal status of Norway spruce seedlings from bare-root forest nurseries

We examined the ectomycorrhizal communities associated with Norway spruce seedlings grown in 16 bare-root nurseries in northwest Poland. One through four-year-old seedlings were examined and compared. We found 11 morphotypes in total with an average of 2.7 morphotypes per nursery. Among these 11 morphotypes, RFLP-analysis detected 17 distinct RFLP-patterns. By comparison with the available reference material, 12 of these could be identified to genus or species. These were Amphinema byssoides, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Hebeloma longicaudum, Paxillus involutus, Thelephora terrestris, Cenococcum geophilum, Phialophora finlandia, Tuber sp., Wilcoxina mikolae, Wilcoxina sp. 1, Wilcoxina sp. 2 and Tricharina ochroleuca. The five unidentified morphotypes were: basidiomycetes ITE.5 and four ascomycetes designated as IDPAN.1, IDPAN.2, IDPAN.3 and IDPAN.4 that in morphotyping were classified as an E-strain. The ascomycete W. mikolae was predominant, whereas the basidiomycetes were less common. ECM community of Norway spruce seedlings from bare-root nurseries were not structured in association with soil pH and nutrient status of the host plant. The consistent presence of inocula of ascomycete symbionts in the substrate from all nurseries is quite notable and may reflect their adaptation and/or resistance to highly transformed nursery soil substrates compared to symbionts from the Basidiomycota.

Molecular Characterization of Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium commune Isolates from a Conifer Nursery

ABSTRACT Fusarium species can cause severe root disease and damping-off in conifer nurseries. Fusarium inoculum is commonly found in most container and bareroot nurseries on healthy and diseased seedlings, in nursery soils, and on conifer seeds. Isolates of Fusarium spp. can differ in virulence; however, virulence and colony morphology are not correlated. Forty-one isolates of Fusarium spp., morphologically indistinguishable from F. oxysporum, were collected from nursery samples (soils, healthy seedlings, and diseased seedlings). These isolates were characterized by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and DNA sequencing of nuclear rDNA (internal transcribed spacer including 5.8S rDNA), mitochon-drial rDNA (small subunit [mtSSU]), and nuclear translation elongation factor 1-alpha. Each isolate had a unique AFLP phenotype. Out of 121 loci, 111 (92%) were polymorphic; 30 alleles were unique to only highly virulent isolates and 33 alleles were unique to only isolates nonpathogenic on conifers. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of DNA sequences from all three regions and the combined data set showed that all highly virulent isolates clearly separated into a common clade that contained F. commune, which was recently distinguished from its sister taxon, F. oxysporum. Interestingly, all but one of the nonpathogenic isolates grouped into a common clade and were genetically similar to F. oxysporum. The AFLP cladograms had similar topologies when compared with the DNA-based phylograms. Although all tested isolates were morphologically indistinguishable from F. oxysporum based on currently available monographs, some morphological traits can be plastic and unreliable for identification of Fusarium spp. We consider the highly virulent isolates to be F. commune based on strong genetic evidence. To our knowledge, this is the first reported evidence that shows F. commune is a cause of Fusarium disease (root rot and dampingoff) on Douglas-fir seedlings. Furthermore, several AFLP genetic markers and mtSSU sequences offer potential for development of molecular markers that could be used to detect and distinguish isolates of F. oxysporum nonpathogenic to conifers and highly virulent isolates of F. commune in forest nurseries.

Silicon availability of the nursery bed soils and effects of silicon fertilizer applied on the growth and silicon uptake of rice Oryza sativa L. seedlings

(pp. 41–46) Silicon availability in 36 commercial nursery bed soils was evaluated by four methods the phosphate buffer (pH 6.2, 40 mmol L−1), incubation, supernatant and acetate buffer (pH 4.0, 1 mol L−1) Methods. The influence of silicon availability in the nursery bed soils on the silicon uptake of rice Oryza sativa L. cv. Hitomebore seedlings and the effect of silicon fertilizer application were examined in a glass house in 2002. The results revealed that the best correlation between silicon content in rice seedlings and available silicon in soils was obtained with the phosphate buffer-solution method (r = 0.86). More precise evaluation of available silicon was achieved by grouping soils based on these phosphate absorption coefficients (PAC). The correlation coefficients between silicon content in rice seedlings and available silicon in soils were 0.92 and 0.72 for volcanic soils (PAC > 1500) and non volcanic soils (PAC < 1500), respectively. We concluded that the phosphate buffer method is the most easily adjusted method for estimation of silicon availability in nursery bed soils, and silicon fertilizers should be applied when silicon availability in non-volcanic nursery bed soils goes below 200 mg kg−1, whereas the level is less than 350 mg kg−1 in volcanic soils.

A comparative study on the effect of transplanting in nursery and poly bags on early seedling growth of Cedrus deodara Royle Ex D.Don

The present study was undertaken to compare the effect of transplanting on early seedling growth of Cedrus deodara in nursery and poly bags. The germination of seeds in different growing media showed that humus medium collected from deodar forest gave significantly higher germination than nursery soil or a mixture of Soil + Sand + FYM. The transplanted seedlings in nursery beds performed better than in poly bags. However, non-transplanted seedlings raised in nursery soil showed significantly good growth than in poly bags. The comparison of transplanted seedlings in nursery and poly bags showed that transplanting in nursery beds resulted in significantly better growth. The seedlings raised in nursery.