EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT MEDIUMS ON THE GROWTH OF ORIENTAL SPRUCE (Picea orientalis (L.) Link.) SEEDLINGS PRODUCED IN ENSO-POT TUBES

Abstract

Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis (L.)Link.) is the main species in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. Using containerised and quality seedlings in the plantation areas is very important, against tall and very dense weed in the region. The Turkish-Finnish Forestry Project was established in 1992, to produce economical containerised seedlings in The Of Forest Nursery. In this project, production technique of Oriental spruce seedlings under the regional conditions was aimed. Thus, common growing mediums in the region, sowing times and growing periods in the greenhouse had to be studied. In this research, forty growing mediums, two sowing times and two growing periods in greenhouse were studied. Commonly used local Barma peat was the main material. Thirty-nine growing mediums were prepared with the kind of supplement materials (river sand, perlite, composed tea remnant, composed barnyard manure, wood shavings and bran) mixed at different ratios by volume to the Barma peat, and Vapo peat (Finnish) were used as a control. According to growing mediums, sowing times and growing periods; height growth, root collar diameter, survival percentage, dry weights and stem weight / root weight rates of the 2+0 aged seedlings were measured. The results are: 1) The best height growth under the Of Forest Nursery conditions were in the following mediums respectively. 60% Barma peat + 20% comp. Tea remnant + 20% river sand 50% Barma peat + 20% comp. Tea remnant + 30% river sand 50% Barma peat + 20% comp. Tea remnant + 30% perlite 60% Barma peat + 20% comp. Tea remnant + 20% perlite 60% Barma peat + 20% comp. barnyard manure + 20% perlite 70% Barma peat + 30% comp. Tea remnant 60% Barma peat + 20% comp. Tea remnant + 20% wood shavings 60% Barma peat + 20% comp. barnyard manure + 20% river sand 100% Finnish peat . 2) Traditionally, 2+3, 3+2, 4+0 and 5+0 aged Oriental spruce seedlings have been planted in this region. This study showed that 2+0 aged seedlings had suitable sizes for planting with the growing mediums mentioned above by The Enso-Pot tube system.