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Evaluation of site preparation and planting stock on nuttall oak and cherrybark oak growth on a former agriculture area

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Oaks are an important component of the southern landscape, and are planted on thousands of acres across the region annually. Federal cost share programs, such as the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), have increased public interest in afforestation of retired agricultural sites in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Acorns, bare root, containerized, and potted seedlings of Nuttall oak (Quercus texana Buckl.) and cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) were tested in a WRP planting near Port Barre, Louisiana to evaluate both groundline diameter and height growth following four mechanical/chemical site preparation treatments. These acorns/seedlings were planted on 16 foot by 36 foot centers. The research site was subsoiled on 16 foot centers with acorn/seedlings planted in subsoil trenches. Control (no mechanical/chemical treatment), subsoil only, subsoil/Chopper EC®, subsoil/Arsenal AC®, and subsoil/OneStep® treatments were applied in an attempt to evaluate which treatment combination provided greatest growth. Growth was measured for the 2005 growing season. No height or GLD differences were observed between species. However, height growth differences were detected among planting stocks types and GLD growth differences were detected among site preparation treatments and planting stocks.

Parent Publication

Citation

Self, Andrew B.; Ezell, Andrew W.; Londo, Andrew J.; Hodges, John D.; Alkire, Derek K. 2012. Evaluation of site preparation and planting stock on nuttall oak and cherrybark oak growth on a former agriculture area. In: Butnor, John R., ed. 2012. Proceedings of the 16th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-156. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 308-313.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/41513