Tree Improvement Program Project Report 2006 / 2007

esponse to NH 4 NO 3 acts through nutritional effects rather
than directly affecting cone induction.
Assuming that fertilizer does lead to improved coning
response by improving the nutritional status of shoots, then
it seems reasonable to assume that heavier doses of fertilizer
could also improve the nutritional status of lower crown
shoots in mature seed orchard trees. Under the natural
inductive environment of the north Okanagan, this effect
will lead to a higher coning response.
To test this hypothesis, we completed the following:
1. solicited the advice of Dr. Bob van den Driessche
(retired research scientist and tree nutritional expert) to
review the problem and make recommendations for the
best fertilizer regime, the amount to apply, and the time
to apply it.
2. established two fertilizer trials in the MFR, Kalamalka
Seed orchard 307 and the Tolko Industry Ltd, Eagle
Rock Seed orchard 310 (see maps Appendix I). In June
2006, two reps of each of three five-tree blocks for each
of two application times (12 blocks) were selected in
each of the two orchards. The three fertilizer treatments
were control; NO 3 NH 4 , and a combination of fertilizers
(NPK+sulphur+micros) formulated for the objectives of
this experiment.
3. applied fertilizer on June 28 (early) and August 31
(late). The specific fertilizer formulation is shown in
Table 21.
4. in October, collected lower crown shoots from each
of the two row sides. Shoot samples from each of 60
trees and two orchards (120 in total) were shipped to
the Kalamalka Seed orchards for washing and drying.
Table 1
T R E E I M P R O V E M E N T P R O G R A M
Rate Amount per tree* per plot
Fertilizer Kg/Ha Kg/Ha Kg Kg
Nitrogen (NH 4NO 3) alone 100 303 0.7575 3.7875
Combination
N 100 303 0.7575 3.7875
P 50 255 0.6375 3.1875
K 50 122 0.305 1.525
Ca 20 50 0.125 0.625
Mg/S 10/13 50 0.125 0.625
Micronutrients added to combination at 1%
*note: amount per tree based on a tree spacing of 5x5m=25m
P R O J E C T R E P O R T 2 0 0 6 / 2 0 0 7
Dry shoot material was shipped to the Research Branch
Laboratory, where nutrient analyses were completed on
each of the shoot and foliage tissues.
Results
A summary of the mean nutrient analysis and details of
fertilizer effects are available in the final report for OTIP
project 4057E23 on file with the OTIP coordinator. The
following is a summary of a report by Dr. R. van den
Driessche (New Dendrology Inc.).
Fertilizer types and time of application were both
shown to affect N and S concentrations in needles at
Kalamalka seed orchards. Needle concentrations of N, were
higher than stem concentration at Eagle Rock, but both
N and S were similar in stems and needles at Kalamalka.
Potassium, Ca, and Mg did not differ much between
needles and stems, but P concentration was higher in
stems than in needles. Fertilization reduced needle N and
S concentrations compared with control at Kalamalka, but
had no effect on needle N at Eagle Rock. At Eagle Rock,
needle P concentration was increased by fertilization,
although only the complete fertilizer increased stem P%.
The NH 4 NO 3 fertilizer may have increased the
concentration of stem S (measured by combustion) at
Kalamalka. Fertilizer interacted with time of application for
stem N and S at Eagle Rock. Stem S showed an interaction
between fertilizer and application time at Eagle Rock, in
which values were higher in control at time 1 and NH 4 NO 3
at time 2 (both values about 0.13), but all other treatments
were about 0.11.
Stem P concentrations were lower (about 0.17)
at Eagle Rock than at Kalamalka (about 0.19), and
although NH 4 NO 3 fertilization had no effect on stem P
Total 1.95 9.75
Table 21.
Fert l zer
formulat on.
3