Growth Analysis of Mycorrhizal and Nonmycorrhizal Black Oak (Quercus velutina Lam.) Seedlings
- Resource Type
- research-article
- Authors
- Daughtridge, Ann Todd; Pallardy, Stephen G.; Garrett, H. Gene; Sander, Ivan L.
- Source
- The New Phytologist, 1986 Jul 01. 103(3), 473-480.
- Subject
- Growth Analysis
Mycorrhizas
Regeneration Silviculture
Seedling Physiology
Seedlings
Plants
Infections
Leaf area
Crop harvesting
Inoculation
Forestry
Plant growth
Pine trees
Forest growth
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0028646X
14698137
Inoculation of seedlings of black oak (Quercus velutina Lam.) with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker and Couch and Suillus luteus (L. ex Fr.) S. F. Gray stimulated total growth and several individual growth components as indicated by classical growth analysis of a 19-week experiment. Inoculation with Pisolithus was more effective in increasing growth than was inoculation with Suillus. Mycorrhizal seedlings exhibited generally higher leaf area ratios than did uninfected seedlings from the seventh week after planting. Unit leaf rates (Ē) and relative growth rates (R̄) were higher for two of five harvest intervals in mycorrhizal plants, with the greatest values of Ē and R̄ observed in seedlings inoculated with Pisolithus. The alteration of growth patterns associated with inoculation was observed from six to nine weeks before substantial infection was detected. In general, mycorrhizal infection was associated with a greater relative investment of dry weight in leaf area and in early stimulation of Ē and R̄, a situation that increased total growth greatly as a result of early gains in productive plant mass.