Response of potted northern red oak and hay-scented fern to additions of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if addition of Ca, Mg, K, and P to an extremely acidic forest soil would increase early northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedling growth. The O through B2 horizon of a Dekalb soil from Pennsylvania's Bald Eagle State Forest was placed in plastic cores and utilized as a growth medium for northern red oak seedlings in a greenhouse environment. After 150 days, fertilization with the selected nutrients Ca, Mg, K, and P increased greenhouse seedling height, leaf area, leaf dry weight, stem diameter, stem dry weight, and tap root diameter. Fertilization also resulted in increased foliar concentrations of P, K, Ca, and Mg and decreased foliar concentrations of Mn and Al. Hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) Moore), grown in the same containers with the northern red oak seedlings, demonstrated the potential to be an effective sink for applied fertilizers containing Ca, Mg, K, and P. These results imply that on extremely acidic sites where soils are nutrient deficient, fertilization with Ca, Mg, K, and P may enhance early northern red oak seedling growth.

Citation

Hart, David H.; Sharpe, William E. 1997. Response of potted northern red oak and hay-scented fern to additions of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. In: Pallardy, Stephen G.; Cecich, Robert A.; Garrett, H. Gene; Johnson, Paul S., eds. Proceedings of the 11th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-188. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station: 304-312