Hitchhiker Planting: Development of Combination Container Stock of Target Woody and Herbaceous Plants

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1 Hitchhiker Planting: Development of Combination Container Stock of Target Woody and Herbaceous Plants Jeremy Dostie Trevor Floreani Amanda Schoonmaker NAIT Boreal Research Institute

2 Contents What is hitchhiker planting? Objectives Methods Project design Measurements Results Conclusions Further investigation

aster ( conspicuus) or fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) 2 for 1 planting

3 Hitchhiking Hitchhiking = sowing two species in one plug One plant gets a free ride Shade-tolerant white spruce (Picea glauca) coupled with showy aster ( conspicuus) or fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) 2 for 1 planting in the field White spruce with fireweed sharetv.org/images/the_hitchhiker-show.jpg

Occupy physical space to inhibit invasive species

4 Rationale Can be difficult to establish native forbs by seed Try growing forbs from roots give them a headstart Occupy physical space to inhibit invasive species Protection for shade-tolerant woody species germinated from seed root plugs

Objectives Specific project objectives: Evaluate morphology and biomass of tree and forbs Determine optimum container size and sowing times Broader objectives: Determine if hitchhiker planting can

5 Objectives Specific project objectives: Evaluate morphology and biomass of tree and forbs Determine optimum container size and sowing times Broader objectives: Determine if hitchhiker planting can effectively establish two target species simultaneously from roots (in the field) Initiate growth of native species cover to create resilient forests Can we grow a quality seedling with a forb? upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/hit chhiker's_gesture.jpg

6 Project Design White Spruce {Control} {Control} No forb Sown with Showy Sown with No forb Plug size 412A 512A 615A 512A 615A 412A 6 wks 6 wks 6 wks 6 wks Forb sowing period (# weeks) 8 wks 10 wks 8 wks 10 wks 8 wks 10 wks 8 wks 10 wks 12 wks 12 wks 12 wks Grown from March 2014 October 2014 Different plug size root space Different sow times light competition 12 random samples from each treatment = 216 total 12 wks

7 512A 10 weeks 615A 6 weeks Control 412A

8 Biomass and Morphology Measurements Species White spruce / Metric Shoot height Root collar diameter (RCD) Height:Diameter ratio Shoot mass Root mass Root:Shoot ratio Root length Root surface area Target relative to benchmark Same or greater Same or greater Same Same or greater Same or greater Same or greater Same or greater Same or greater # of suckers No benchmark Root mass Root length Root surface area No benchmark No benchmark No benchmark *STATISTICAL NOTE* Benchmark = control w/ no forb Comparisons made using 1-way ANOVA Dunnett s test compared each treatment against control group for significance

9 Results

10 Sucker 1.8 cm roots Sucker roots Images scanned using WinRhizo software i180.photobucket.com/albums/x247/soundandfuryandpeace/rhizome.gif Spruce roots 1.8 cm

11 Results Spruce Height with

12 Results Spruce Height with

13 Results Spruce Root Collar Diameter with

14 Results Spruce Root Collar Diameter with

15 Spruce Height:RCD

16 Results Spruce Shoot & Root Mass 512A 512A

17 Results Spruce Root Length & Surface Area

18 Results Forb Root Biomass & Suckers

19 Spruce + Performance Forb Plug Size Forb sow period (#wks) Shoot Height RCD Ht:RC D Metrics similar to spruce benchmark Shoot mass Root Mass Root: Shoot Root length Root SA Count 6 X 1 512A 8 X 1 10 X X X X X X X 7 12 X X X X 4 6 X X X 3 615A 8 X X X X X X 6 10 X X X X X X X X 8 12 X X X X X X X X 8

20 Spruce + Performance Forb Plug Size Forb sow period (#wks) Shoot Height RCD Metrics similar to spruce benchmark Height :RCD Shoot mass Root Mass Root: Shoot Root length Root SA Count 6 X X 2 512A 8 X 1 10 X X X X 4 12 X X X X X X 6 6 X X 2 615A 8 X X 2 10 X X X X X X X 7 12 X X X X X X X X 8

21 Conclusions Greenhouse work only Plug size matters may be space constraints in 512A Spruce + : Sow forb 10 weeks after spruce 615A plugs show best performance for spruce Spruce + : Sow forb late (12 weeks) in 615A plug May need to try sowing fireweed even later as competition was high light competition factor It is possible to grow a quality seedling combined with a native forb

22 Further Investigation What is minimum root mass/length/sa/suckers needed for forbs to not only establish, but to expand over site? Will forbs and spruce co-exist or will one out-compete the other? What are the best species to combine? Is it reasonable to plant larger plugs? logistics and cost These questions will be assessed with our upcoming field trials stay tuned!

Questions? Acknowledgements Funding NSERC Innovation Enhancement Grant (2010-15) Shell Canada Staff theblondecoyote.

23 Questions? Acknowledgements Funding NSERC Innovation Enhancement Grant ( ) Shell Canada Staff theblondecoyote.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/p jpg Ryan O Neill, Adele Boschma, Sally Barkwell, Jean-Marie Sobze, Crystal Middleton

24 Results Spruce Root:Shoot

25 Results Forb Root Length & Surface Area

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