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Title: WholeTree as a Substrate for Lantana camara

Author
item BOYER, C - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item FAIN, G - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item GILLIAM, C - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item Torbert, Henry - Allen
item GALLAGHER, T - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item SIBLEY, J - AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Southern Nursery Association Research Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2007
Publication Date: 8/8/2007
Citation: Boyer, C.R., Fain, G.B., Gilliam, C.H., Torbert III, H.A., Gallagher, T.V., Sibley, J.L. 2007. WholeTree as a Substrate for Lantana camara. In: Proceedings of the Southern Nursery Association Research Conference. 52:481-484.

Interpretive Summary: As forestry production has been cut back in the U.S. and moved away from tree processing at mills and toward in-field harvesting of trees, the supply of pine bark available to nursery growers has and will continue to steadily decrease. A potential material to meet nursery grower’s needs is WholeTree composed of whole pine trees that have been chipped and further processed through a hammer mill. This study evaluated growth of Lantana camara in substrates composed of WholeTree and WholeTree mixed with pine bark. Results indicate that Lantana camara has similar growth when produced in any of the tested substrates. This research adds to the body of evidence suggesting that substrates containing a high percentage of wood can be used for containerized nursery crop production.

Technical Abstract: As forestry production has been cut back in the U.S. and moved away from tree processing at mills and toward in-field harvesting of trees, the supply of pine bark available to nursery growers has and will continue to steadily decrease. Competition for pine bark from various other industries and high shipping costs are adding to the rising costs of pine bark. Thus a serious need exists to develop an alternative to pine bark substrates. A potential material to meet nursery grower’s needs is WholeTree composed of whole pine trees (small caliper < 6 in.) that have been chipped and further processed through a hammer mill to reduce particle sizes before being used as a growth substrate. This study evaluated growth of Lantana camara in substrates composed of 100% WholeTree (WT), WT mixed with 25% or 50% pine bark and a standard substrate mix (6:1 pine bark:sand). Results indicate that Lantana camara has similar growth when produced in any of the tested substrates. This research adds to the body of evidence suggesting that substrates containing a high percentage of wood can be used for containerized nursery crop production.