Effects of container size and radicle pruning on seedling quality of Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.)

Abstract

This aim of this study was to assess the effect of container size and radicle pruning at the time sowing on seedling quality in Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.), which are among the preferred species in afforestation studies in arid and semi-arid regions in our country. In the study, some morphological (root collar diameter, height, shoot and root dry weight, shoot:root ratio, number of main roots, number of lateral roots, sturdiness ratio etc.) and physiological (shoot and root total carbohydrate content, root growing potential) characteristics were determined in 1+0 year old seedling grown in four different polybag sizes (11x22 cm, 12x25 cm, 14x35 cm and 18x30 cm) with or without radicle pruning. According to the results, the container size had significant effect on the seedling quality, except for the number of main roots and stem total carbohydrate content. The radicle pruning did not affect the shoot: root ratio, the number of lateral roots greater than 1 mm in diameter, the sturdiness quotient (seedling height:diameter ratio), the stem total carbohydrate content and the root growing potential. The root collar diameter, height, shoot dry weight, main, lateral and total root dry weight increased with increasing polybags size with radicle pruning. Radicle pruning increased number of main roots, but the root percentage and root total carbohydrate content were decreased. Seedling grown in the largest polybags had greater diameter, taller, heavier, higher the number of lateral branches and the number of lateral roots.

Keywords

• turkey oak
• seedling quality
• seedling height
• root collar diameter
• root growth potential
• morphology
• saçlı meşe
• fidan kalitesi
• fidan boyu
• kök boğazı çapı
• kök gelişme potansiyeli
• morfoloji