Abstract

HERNANDEZ-ZARATE, Lisbeth et al. Nursery growth of Pinus montezumae Lamb. influenced by different substrate mixtures. Agrociencia [online]. 2014, vol.48, n.6, pp.627-637. ISSN 2521-9766.

Pine sawdust and bark, wood waste products of the forest industry, can be used as substrate and substitute peat moss in the production of nursery plants. Therefore, growth of Pinus montezumae Lamb. seedlings was assessed in containers with substrates composed of pine bark and sawdust, which were used to form nine mixtures. There was also a control treatment (60 % peat moss+ 20 % perlite + 20 % vermiculite). Physical and chemical characteristics were determined. pH oscillated between 4.2 and 6.3, electrical conductivity was 0.25 to 3.98 dSm^-1, total porosity was 69 to 81 %, aeration porosity was 26 to 34 %, water holding porosity was 36 to 52 %, and bulk density was 0.17 to 0.32 g cm^-3. On the water release curve, available water varied from 8 to 46 %, easily available water 6 to 19 %, reserve water 3 to 8 %, and less readily available water 18 to 37 % in all treatments. There were significant differences among treatments in seedling growth at 10 months of age: diameter varied from 9.7 to 11.5 mm, shoot dry weight 1.97 to 2.87 g, and root dry weight 3.51 to 61.05 g. The shoot/root ratio in all of the treatments was 1 to 2.5. The mixtures supporting growth similar to the control and adequate physical characteristics for producing plants of this species were T9 (sawdust 70 % + peat 10 % + perlite 10 % + vermiculite 10 %) and T1 (bark 10 % + sawdust 70 % + perlite 10 % + vermiculite 10 %). The mixtures of sawdust and bark generated plants with dimensions appropriate for transplant to the field. This allows to eliminate the utilization of peat moss as substrate in the production of forest plants.

Keywords : Sawdust; bark; Pinus montezumae; peat moss; nursery.

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