Root and Mycorrhizal Response of Two Tree Species to Root Zone Application of Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculant and/or ArborGreen® Slow Release Fertilizer.

Method: Newly planted bareroot seedlings (1-inch caliper) of Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) and Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) were treated with either MycorTree® Injectable or ArborGreen® slow release fertilizer by soil injection 2 to 8-inches deep into the root zone. Each seedling received 4 injections of ½-gallon, at planting. Root ingrowth cores (3-inches wide by 8-inches deep) were placed in the soil at the points of injection. After 25 months, the cores and their contents were removed from the soil. Soil and roots were separated by sieving and washing over a screen. Fresh weights of the roots were recorded for each core. The amount of mycorrhizae was also quantified on roots from each core. Results are shown in the tables. Twig and diameter growth were measured yearly.

ArborGreen® is a registered trademark of Davey Tree Expert Co.

Rao, B. and B. Jeffers. 1999. Effects of mycorrhizal inoculates and fertilizer on newly planted trees. Poster, ISA Annual Conferences, Stamford, CT. Aug. 1999.

Above and below ground response of 1 inch caliper, bare root planted Northern Red Oak after 25 months to root zone injection with MycorTree® and/or Arborgreen® slow release fertilizer.

(Davey, 1999)
Treatment
Root wt.
(gm)
%
Ecto.
Twig
Growth
(in.)
Dia.
Increase
(in.)
MycorTree®
2.62
77
4.5
0.43
Arborgreen®
1.96
56
4.6
0.45
MycorTree® + Arborgreen®
5.17
73
5.8
0.53
Control
0.91
40
4.1
0.40

Conclusion - Northern Red Oak

  1. Mortality has precluded statistical analyses (unrelated to treatments).
  2. Pt ectomycorrhizae consistent in all MycorTree® treatments
  3. Pt did not displace the native ectomycorrhizal fungi but simply added to the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal species on the root systems.
  4. ArborGreen® increased native ectomycorrhizae (complex coralloid -white) by nearly 50% compared to control.
  5. Similar root biomass produced by MycorTree® and ArborGreen® alone but root biomass was synergistic when the two treatments were combined.
Above and below ground response of 1 inch caliper, bare root planted Sugar Maple after 25 months to root zone injection with MycorTree® and/or Arborgreen® slow release fertilizer.

(Davey, 1999)
Treatment
Root wt.
(gm)
%
VAM.
Twig
Growth
(in.)
Dia.
Increase
(in.)
MycorTree®
4.43
39
11.6
0.70
Arborgreen®
2.13
19
11.8
0.72
MycorTree® + Arborgreen®
5.11
27
12.4
0.76
Control
1.44
12
11.3
0.67

Conclusion - Sugar Maple

  1. MycorTree® increased root biomass and VAM development by more than 3 times over nontreated controls.
  2. MycorTree® increased root biomass and VAM development by 2 times over the ArborGreen® treatment.
  3. MycorTree® + ArborGreen® treatment was the best treatment increasing root biomass by 3.5 times and VAM development by more than 2 times over nontreated controls.
  4. ArborGreen® alone had about 50% more root biomass and VAM development than the nontreated controls.

ArborGreen® is a registered trademark of Davey Tree Expert Co.

© 2000 PHC Royalty Corp.