Growth versus storage: response of Pinus tabuliformis and Quercus mongolica seedlings to variation in nutrient supply and its associated effect on field performance

• Published in: New forests Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 81 - 99
• Main Authors: Luo, Na, Wei, Ning, Li, Guolei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbohydrates; Exposure; Fertilizers; Forestry; Life Sciences; Low temperature; Mortality; Nitrogen; Nurseries; Nutrient concentrations; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrient loading; Pine trees; Pinus tabuliformis; Quercus mongolica; Reserves; Seedlings; Storage; Winter; Carbohydrate storage; Plant quality; Fertilization; Field performance; Nitrogen storage
• ISSN: 0169-4286; 1573-5095
• DOI: 10.1007/s11056-023-09966-w

Carbohydrate and nitrogen storage in seedlings can improve field growth and survival. However, carbohydrate and nitrogen reserves may compete. For instance, carbohydrate reserves can be accumulated due to sink limitation on growth triggered by nutrient deficiency. Few studies have addressed the effects of nutrient supply on carbohydrate and nutrient storage and subsequent field performance of Quercus and Pinus species with different shoot growth strategies at the early growing stage. We exposed seedlings of Pinus tabuliformis Carr and Quercus mongolica Fisch to three exponential fertilizer treatments (10, 50, 100 mg N) in the nursery for 18 weeks to assess the combined response of growth and storage of carbohydrate and nitrogen in seedlings during their first year of growth in the nursery, as well as their subsequent field performance over the next 2 years. At the end of nursery stage, high nutrient supply increased nitrogen storage in both species, increased carbohydrate concentration in Q. mongolica but decreased that in P. tabuliformis seedlings. P. tabuliformis showed higher winter mortality than Q. mongolica but field mortality of P. tabuliformis decreased with an increase in fertilizer dosage. Our findings suggest that P. tabuliformis seedlings exposed to 100 mg N per plant can mitigate the field winter mortality although it could be still under deficiency status. Given lower winter mortality in Q. mongolica seedlings, being exposed to at least 100 mg N per plant in the nursery can produce nutrient-loaded seedlings, and therefore can be considered for restoration programs in areas affected by low winter temperature.