Abstract
From a candidate list of sixteen under-utilized Small trees, four taxa were identified for study to determine if they were adaptable for 2.6 L and 15 L container production, in Comparison to a commonly produced small tree species Fraxinus velutina, Torr. when grown in several alternative media components. Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet, Rhus lanceolata Grey, and X Chitalpa tashkentensis T. Elias and W. Wisura were identified as having potential for container production while trunk diameter development of Acacia wightii Berth. was determined to be unacceptable according to American Association of Nurserymen standards. Growth or other limiting production factors for five other species, in a separate study using similar alternative media, were determined to not be suitable for mass production. Chemical and physical properties of the media containing pine bark or kenaf stalk core as the principal components, and/or coconut coir pith as a substitute for peat moss as a minor component, were also tested. Electrical conductivity and pH of all media were determined to be acceptable for consideration as a container substrate. Total air space and water holding capacity of all media were also acceptable, while the bulk density and shrinkage (50 % of the total volume) of kenaf based media were determined to be unacceptable for longer term outdoor container production when used as the principal media component, 75% by volume. Two species, C linearis and F velutina, were transplanted to the field for a two year study after 15 L production to measure affects of container media on landscape establishment. It was determined that overall growth responses and survival were greater for plants that were originally grown in the bark based media. Root regeneration potentials (RRP) of transplanted C linearis seedlings, in root observation box studies, were comparable for all media with bark based media showing a propensity for earlier RRP and faster root elongation on some observation dates.
Goyne, Mitchell Wayne (1998). Effects of alternative container media components on the growth of selected under-utilized small ornamental trees. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1998 -THESIS -G69.