| Abstrakt: |
Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) could be a viable container substrate for nursery crop production. It is a local, sustainable resource in regions distant from timber production areas where pine bark (PB) is processed. However, eastern redcedar chips (ERC) as a substrate have been associated with decreased container capacity and increased air space. Manipulating particle size could result in a substrate comparable to the current PB industry standard. Additionally, hedge-apple [Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C. K. Schneid.], a common species found in the Great Plains region of the United States, could also be used as a resource for substrate construction. This study evaluated four particle sizes, 4.8, 9.5, 12.7, and 19.1 mm (3/16, 3/8, 1/2, and 3/4 in) ERC and hedge-apple chips (HAC), and compared them to a PB control in the production of 5 plant species. Plants grown in both ERC and HAC showed few differences in growth based on substrate particle size; when growth was affected, plants grown in 4.8 mm (3/16 in) and 9.5 mm (3/8 in) particle sizes were larger than those grown in coarser 12.7 mm (1/2 in) and 19.1 mm (3/4 in) material. However, both ERC and HAC often produced smaller plants compared to those grown in PB. Results of this study demonstrate that ERC and HAC can be viable substrates or substrate components for some plant species when the trees are processed to small particle sizes, particularly if small plants are an acceptable tradeoff for lower overhead costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
