UNIVERSITY OF MASSACH USETTS

On October 23, 1992, approximately 120 days after the experiment began, all the trees were excavated and most of the soil was shaken from their roots by hand. A portion of the trees in each treament had further soil removed from the roots by washing with a water spray. Results: Examination of primary and secondary root condition of each tree in this experiment revealed that differences in root development were consistently associated with the treatments. The ROOTS® and NO-BURN treatment was consistently associated with development of extending woody root development (30 to 50 cm), as well as abundant development secondary absorbing root development. This treatment was also associated with little or no dieback from the pruned cuts of the roots during transplanting. The ROOTS® treatment was also associated with extending woody root development (10 to 20 cm), but the length was not as great as that found with the ROOTS® and NO-BURN treatment. Abundant secondary absorbing roots were formed all along the primary root system, but root development did not appear as dense in the ROOTS® treatment as that found with the ROOTS® and NO-BURN treatment. A small amount of dieback was noted at the root pruning cuts with the ROOTS® treatment. The control treatments usually did not contain any notable woody extending roots but did develop a light to moderate level of secondary absorbing roots. Extensive dieback at pruned roots was found on the control treatments. No differences among treatments were noted in leaf size, leaf color, or in twig elongation. Discussion and Conclusions: The findings of. this experiment indicate that, in sugar maple, the ROOTS® and NO-BURN combination treatment was associated with the most extensive root development of the three post-planting soil drench treatments. The ROOTS® treatment alone, however, produced substantially more root development that the control, in which water alone was applied at the three treatment dates. It can be concluded from these findings that use of the biostimulent ROOTS®, alone or in combination with the wetting agent, NO-BURN, resulted in increased root development in sugar maple trees in the first 4 months after bare-root transplanting.

On October 23, 1992, approximately 120 days after the experiment began, all the trees were excavated and most of the soil was shaken from their roots by hand. A portion of the trees in each treament had further soil removed from the roots by washing with a water spray.

Results:

Examination of primary and secondary root condition of each tree in this experiment revealed that differences in root development were consistently associated with the treatments. The ROOTS® and NO-BURN treatment was consistently associated with development of extending woody root development (30 to 50 cm), as well as abundant development secondary absorbing root development. This treatment was also associated with little or no dieback from the pruned cuts of the roots during transplanting. The ROOTS® treatment was also associated with extending woody root development (10 to 20 cm), but the length was not as great as that found with the ROOTS® and NO-BURN treatment. Abundant secondary absorbing roots were formed all along the primary root system, but root development did not appear as dense in the ROOTS® treatment as that found with the ROOTS® and NO-BURN treatment. A small amount of dieback was noted at the root pruning cuts with the ROOTS® treatment. The control treatments usually did not contain any notable woody extending roots but did develop a light to moderate level of secondary absorbing roots. Extensive dieback at pruned roots was found on the control treatments.

No differences among treatments were noted in leaf size, leaf color, or in twig elongation.

Discussion and Conclusions:

The findings of. this experiment indicate that, in sugar maple, the ROOTS® and NO-BURN combination treatment was associated with the most extensive root development of the three post-planting soil drench treatments. The ROOTS® treatment alone, however, produced substantially more root development that the control, in which water alone was applied at the three treatment dates.

It can be concluded from these findings that use of the biostimulent ROOTS®, alone or in combination with the wetting agent, NO-BURN, resulted in increased root development in sugar maple trees in the first 4 months after bare-root transplanting.