Yale University

Yale University New Haven, Connecticut 06511

SCHOOL OF FORESTRY AND

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

SUMMARY REPORT

THE EFFECT OF A NATURAL BIOSTIMULANT (ROOTS®) ON THE GROWTH OF LOBLOLLY PINE ( Pinus taeda)

AND DOUGLAS-FIR ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ) SEEDLINGS

IN GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS AFTER 20 WEEKS OF TREATMENT

Dr. Graeme P. Berlyn and Dr. Ricardo 0. Russo

Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

This project investigated the effectiveness of ROOTS® as a root growth enhancer for loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) and Douglas—fir ( Pseudotsu9a menziesii) seedlings under greenhouse conditions. In every instance ROOTS® promoted both root and shoot growth in both loblolly pine and Douglas-fir compared to fertilized controls. The improvements in root growth in loblolly pine seedlings treated with ROOTS® were 63% in fresh weight and 43% in dry weight. The shoot growth improvements in were 33% in fresh weight and 28% in dry weight. For Douglas-fir, root growth was 138% higher in fresh weight, and 37% in dry weight over control, while shoot growth was 99% higher in fresh weight and 55% in dry weight.

INTRODUCTION

Preliminary laboratory and 9reenhouse tests indicate that a new combination of natural organic ingredients stimulates plant growth. Because this new product referred to in this report as ROOTStm may help nursery production, studies were carried out at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, with the following objectives.


a)	To test different concentrations (dilutions) of ROOTS

and determine the most appropriate in terms of root and shoot growth.


b)	To evaluate the behavior of loblolly pine and

Douglas-fir seedlings to the treatment with ROOTS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Plant material : Seeds of Pinus taeda L., lot #3-050—014, Clone AC3 and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.), lot 241-25-1 DE1034, both from Weyerhaeuser were stratified at 5 C.’ in sterile conditions, for four weeks. They were germinated in trays containing quartz sand in a growth chamber under constant light at 20 C. When seedlings reach about 3 cm height they were transplanted to 600 nil green—plastic pots filled with a greenhouse mix of potting soil, peat moss, vermiculite, perlite and sand (4:4:2:1:1).