The influence of cultural treatments of the long-term survival and growth of planted Quercus rubra

Abstract

A northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) plantation testing 20 nursery stock and planting methods was used to evaluate treatments 3, 6, 10, and 17 years after planting. Survival over all treatments was 92 percent at age 3 and declined to 74 percent, 56 percent, and 39 percent at ages 6, 10, and 17, respectively. At age 17, survival was highest for containerized stock (73 percent) and was independent of nursery undercutting (root-pruning), top-clipping at planting, producing nursery transplant stock, and tree shelters. Surviving trees tended to be initially taller (mean of 44 cm vs. 33 cm for unclipped trees) and had larger mean stem caliper (8.3 mm vs. 6.7 mm) at the time of planting compared to those that died. Trees shorter than mean height (1.3 m) tended to succumb to effects of browsing in early years after fence removal, and later to intraspecific competition after canopy closure. Height at age 10 and diameter at age 17 were greatest for containerized stock that was not top-clipped at planting time, but many of the treatments were not statistically distinguished from each other. Top-clipping did not promote multiple stems.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings, 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference

Citation

Zaczek, James J.; Steiner, Kim C. 2011. The influence of cultural treatments of the long-term survival and growth of planted Quercus rubra. In: Fei, Songlin; Lhotka, John M.; Stringer, Jeffrey W.; Gottschalk, Kurt W.; Miller, Gary W., eds. Proceedings, 17th central hardwood forest conference; 2010 April 5-7; Lexington, KY; Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-78. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 294-305.