Francine J. Bigras

Frost hardiness, bud phenology and growth of containerized Picea mariana seedlings grown at three nitrogen levels and three temperature regimes

We studied the influence of temperature and near- and sub- optimal mineral nutrition of black spruce seedlings (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) during their second growing period on bud set, bud development, growth, mineral content and cold tolerance. Bud break and growth after bud break were also studied. Seedlings were grown for 106 d in growth chambers under three temperature regimes in combination with three concentrations of a fertilizer. They were then cold hardened for 56 d and dehardened for 66 d.Under these near- and sub-optimal N levels, bud formation occurred during the growing season. Bud formation was accelerated with decreasing fertilization, but was not affected by temperature treatments. Needles from seedlings with 0.64% N (dry mass basis) before hardening did not harden. Those with 0.87% N showed a lesser degree of hardiness than those with 1.28% N. Stem diameter increased at the beginning of the hardening period. During this acclimation period, shoot dry mass decreased with time at a constant rate and at the same rate over time for all treatments whereas root dry mass was more variable. Total number of needle primordia was low and no difference was observed among growing conditions. Bud break was similar in all treatments. Following bud break, shoot height and stem diameter increases were small but their magnitude varied with the nutritional regimes applied during the previous growing period. During hardening, nitrogen concentration of shoot tissues first increased and then decreased; phosphorus concentration first increased and then remained stable; potassium concentration remained stable. Concentration of these three elements generally decreased in the roots during this hardening.

Root-freezing Damage in the Containerized Nursery: Impact on Plantation Sites – A Review

Root-freezing damage frequently occurs in forest nurseries operating in cold climates. This type of damage arises because: (i) environmental cues for root cold acclimation differ from those for shoot acclimation; (ii) the root growing season is longer than shoot growing season; (iii) strong differences in root cold tolerance exist among species and provenances; (iv) root tissues are less frost tolerant than those of shoots, and young roots are less tolerant than mature ones; and (v) cultural practices can adversely affect root cold hardiness. To quantify root-freezing damage, different techniques have been tested. Electrolyte leakage is the most widely used and provides a good correlation with survival and regrowth. The impact of root-freezing damage on seedling performance has been studied under controlled and field conditions. Seedlings with root-freezing damage showed a reduction in survival and growth. Survival was reduced when root-freezing damage are severe. Growth reduction is mainly explained by a reduction in water and nitrogen uptake. The identification of a threshold in root-freezing damage below which survival and regrowth would not be affected should be determined for species most commonly used in reforestation.

Shoot and root sensitivity of containerized black spruce, white spruce and jack pine seedlings to late fall freezing

Damage to containerized forest seedlings due to freezing can occur in the fall or early winter in Canadian forest nurseries. The following spring, damage to shoots and impairment of growth is observed. The objectives of this experiment were to measure the impact of late fall low temperatures (0° to --30°C) on whole seedlings of the three most common species used for reforestation in Quebec: black spruce (BS), white spruce (WS) and jack pine (JP). Impacts of freezing temperatures on (i) whole seedling and apical bud mortality, (ii) shoot growth and root mortality, (iii) stem electrical resistance, (iv) shoot and root water relations, (v) concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and total sugars in shoots were assessed. JP showed the highest rate of whole seedling mortality while WS showed the highest rate of apical bud mortality. JP was the most severely affected: destruction of the root system at low temperatures as well as a reduction of shoot growth and stem diameter and a decrease (more negative) in shoot and root water potential. WS showed a reduction of shoot growth despite no apparent damage to the root system at low temperatures. BS was not affected by temperatures as low as --30°C. Nutrient and sugar concentrations were not affected by low temperature treatments.

Survival and growth of Picea glauca seedlings as a function of freezing temperatures and exposure times during budbreak and shoot elongation

The impact of freezing temperatures and exposure times during budbreak and shoot elongation on 10-month-old containerized white spruce seedlings [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss] was studied. Seedlings were exposed to 0, −2, −4, −6, −8 and −10°C for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h at four stages of budbreak and shoot elongation (stage 1: unswollen bud; stage 2: swollen bud; stage 3: bud scales parted by emerging needles; stage 4: 1–5 cm of terminal shoot growth). Seedling and terminal bud survival, viability of first-year needles (developed before frost exposure), terminal shoot length, stem diameter and aerial dry mass were measured 90 days after freezing exposure. Frost severity had a much greater influence on seedling survival, damage and subsequent growth than exposure time. The bud development stage at which freezing temperatures were applied also affected survival and subsequent growth.

Effects of Root Freezing on the Physiology and Growth of Picea glauca, Picea mariana and Pinus banksiana Seedlings Under Different Soil Moisture Regimes

The root systems of 2-yr-old Picea glauca, Picea mariana and Pinus banksiana seedlings were submitted to various frost temperatures during an artificial frost to induce different levels of root damage. Frost-damaged and control seedlings were placed in a greenhouse under high and low soil moisture regimes. Seedling growth and physiology were evaluated periodically. Seedling survival was reduced when root damage reached levels of 60-80%. Root systems of all three species showed partial to total recovery by the end of the experiment. In general, root freezing damage caused reductions in seedling growth, with these reductions becoming less significant over time. Root damage had little to no effect on black spruce and jack pine seedling physiology, while white spruce CO 2 uptake decreased with increasing root damage. Shoot nitrogen content of all three species decreased slightly with increasing root damage.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment reduces carbohydrate and nitrogen reserves in overwintering Picea mariana

Abstract Elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) can directly affect the cold hardening process in evergreens through their effect on the accumulation of carbon and nitrogen reserves. This study investigated the biochemical responses of black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] seedlings to CO2 enrichment during growth, cold hardening and dehardening. Seedlings were grown under 350 (ambient) or 710 (elevated) ppm of CO2 for 12 months in eight mini-greenhouses. Photoperiod and temperature were gradually lowered in autumn to induce cold hardening, and the conditions were reversed in spring to promote dehardening. At regular intervals, cold tolerance was assessed and sugars, starch and amino acid concentrations were measured. The freezing tolerance differed between the two treatments only in early autumn, with seedlings growing under high CO2 being more tolerant. The northern ecotype was more cold tolerant with concomitant higher concentrations of sucrose, fructose, pinitol, glucose and total soluble sugars. The concentration of soluble sugars increased in needles and roots of black spruce along with cold hardening, and the concentrations of the cryoprotective sugars sucrose and raffinose were lower under elevated CO2. Amino acid concentrations were also lower under elevated than under ambient CO2. The lower level of reserve did not translate into a lower level of freezing tolerance.

Assessment of Root Freezing Damage of Two-year-old White Spruce, Black Spruce and Jack Pine Seedlings

Whole root systems of 2-yr-old containerized white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss], black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings, with intact root plugs, were exposed to various frost temperatures, which a preliminary test indicated would induce approximately 0 (control), 20, 40, 60, 80 and nearly 100% frost damage. Damage to root systems was evaluated using: (1) two measures of electrolyte leakage (relative conductivity and total tissue leakage after autoclaving); (2) water loss after pressurization; (3) chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm, maximal PSII photochemical efficiency) measured 4, 21 and 30 days after the beginning of seedling regrowth and (4) live root dry mass measured 21 days after the artificial frost and 60 days after the beginning of regrowth. Seedling survival and growth after the artificial frost were evaluated using live root dry mass measured after 60 days of regrowth and new shoot length, stem diameter, and root and shoot dry mass. Live root dry mass, dead tissue leakage, jack pine root water loss and fluorescence measurements were all significantly correlated with one or more of the growth variables and the number of significant correlations varied with species. Dead tissue leakage measurements appear to be the most promising method for evaluating root damage to 2-yr-old well-developed root systems of these species.

Field performance of containerized black spruce seedlings with root systems damaged by freezing or pruning

Roots of 2-year-old black spruce seedlings (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) were exposed to freezing temperatures to destroy 20, 40, 60, and 80% of the root systems. For comparison, other root systems were pruned to eliminate the same proportions of roots. Treated and control seedlings were planted in spring 1992 at Forêt Montmorency (the Université Laval forest research station, 50 km north of Quebec City). From 1992 to 1995, survival, shoot height and stem diameter were measured. Mortality mainly occurred in 1993, the year after planting; pruned seedlings showed practically no mortality while seedlings with 20, 40, 60, and 80% of their root systems affected by frost showed mortality rates of 0, 6, 17, and 24%, respectively. Shoot height and stem diameter decreased with increasing root damage when compared to controls. After three years on the planting site, shoot height was reduced by 2, 8, 11, and 18% while stem diameter was reduced by 4, 21, 25, and 24% for 20, 40, 60, and 80% frost damage, respectively. For pruned seedlings, shoot height was increased by 3% at 20% damage and was decreased by 1, 3, and 13% for 40, 60, and 80% root damage while stem diameter was reduced by 1, 4, 8, 19% for 20, 40, 60, and 80% respectively. Use of damaged seedlings on the planting sites should be limited in order to reduce the cost of replacement planting.