Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The green industry's continued growth and profitability require improved automation and mechanization of greenhouse and nursery systems. Growers need to be positioned with automated methods for plant irrigation and fertigation that make efficient use of water and nutrients. During this five-year project, in collaboration with the Departments of Entomology, Plant Path., and Hort. and Crop Sci., the Food, Agri. and Biol. Engr. Dept. developed and operated an outdoor Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster. The LNCERL included a computer-controlled Q-COM irrigation and fertigation system that provided precise delivery of water and nutrients for growing landscape nursery crops in containers on a gravel bed. The fertigation system delivered multiple levels of fertility, eg., one experiment required five treatments: (1) 0 ppm N, (2) 25 ppm N, (3) 50 ppm N, (4) 75 ppm N and (5) 150 ppm N with N, P2O5 and K2O added to water in a 3:1:2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. Nutrient recipes were formulated from common stock solutions such as Ca(NO3)2, KNO3 and NH4H2PO4. After evaluating experiences with the ten year old Q-COM system, a new, state-of-the-art, nutrient delivery system was designed that would more accurately deliver specified recipes at low-flow rates (1 to 10 Lpm). The new system was constructed and delivered to the OARDC by Argus Control Systems Limited, White Rock, British Columbia and installed in the LNCERL prior to the project's 3rd growing season (Summer 2008). Targeted recipes of water and nutrients could now be delivered to as few as 15 or as many as 50 trees. As an example of the types of experiments that were run, one project was designed to test a new model that integrates the phenomenon of pathogen-induced systemic resistance with the growth /differentiation balance hypothesis in tripartite systems that included Austrian pine, the canker pathogen Diplodia pinea, and two pestiferous insects, the pine engraver and the European pine sawfly. Selected trees and stems were challenged with European pine sawfly insect infestations and Shaeropsis sapinea (formally known as Diplodia pinea) pathogen infections. In total, the LNCERL was used to conduct eleven experiments as a part of research requirements for eight MS/PhD candidates and two post-doctoral students over the five-year duration of this project. A total of 1776 trees were grown using selected combinations of the following cultivars: Austrian pine (Pinus nigra), hybrid poplar (Populus nigra clone 5271), shrub willow (Salix sericea), river birch (Betula nigra), burning bush (Euonymus alatus), Homestead elm (Ulmus x Homestead) and Heritage river birch (Betula nigra). The project resulted in nine refereed publications, seven PowerPoint presentations, four poster presentations, two Ph D dissertations and one MS Thesis. PARTICIPANTS: Robert C. Hansen, Principal Investigator. Programmed and operated the computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation system. Responsible for supervision, measurements and associated data recording, repair and oversight for daily operation of the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Laboratory. Daniel A. Herms, Department of Entomology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments; provided trees, containers and potting mediums; responsible for measurements and associated data gathering; supervised graduate students. Pierluigi (Enrico) Bonello, Department of Plant Pathology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments, provided trees, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Don F. Cipollini, Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University. Collaborator. Designed experiments, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Steven J. Schwartz, Department of Food Science and Technology. Consultant. Bill Bauerle, Professor Emeritus, Horticulture and Crop Sciences. Consultant and collaborator, plant nutrition and health and nutrient solution chemistry. M.J. Sciarini and M.H. Klingman. Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Research Project Design Engineers. Instrumentation. Alec Mackenzie, Marilyn Mackenzie and Jeff Neff. Argus Control Systems Ltd. Designed and constructed Argus Nutrient Delivery System. Post-Doctoral Students Alieta Eyles K. Riedl Graduate Students Rodrigo Chorbadjian Chris Wallis Kathryn Barto Alejandro Chiriboga Samuel Andres Discua Duarte Patrick Sherwood Stephanie Enright Brian Goldberger Vanessa Muilenburg TARGET AUDIENCES: Nurserymen, Horticulturist, Growers, Extension Agents, Educators, Design Engineers of Controllers for Plant Production Systems. Results of work shows how to better control nutrient delivery to plants and the impact of precision nutrient delivery on resistance of plants to plant diseases and pests. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
With the new Argus computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients were delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health was achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. By using precision fertigation technologies, a better understanding of the physiological and biochemical processes that influence the outcome of tree host-mediated interactions between pathogens and insects may guide strategies to improve tree performance in optimal and suboptimal environments through silvicultural prescription, genetic selection, and development of chemical tools capable of harnessing the natural defense system of trees. By understanding genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow, poplar and pine trees to nutrient availability and effects of nutrient availability on their tolerance to herbivory, optimum biomass production, pest control and disease control may eventually be achieved with proper selection of genotype/nutrient delivery combinations.
Publications
- Eyles, A., R. Chorbadjian, C. Wallis, R. Hansen, D. Cipollini, D. Herms and P. Bonello. 2007. Cross-induction of systemic induced resistance between an insect and a fungal pathogen in Austrian pine over a fertility gradient. Oecologia 153: 365-374
- Glynn C., D.A. Herms, C.M. Orians, R.C. Hansen and S. Larsson. 2007. Testing the growth-differentiation balance hypothesis: dynamic responses of willows to nutrient availability. New Phytologist 176(3): 623-634
- Kirnak, H., H.M. Keener, R.C. Hansen and T.H. Short. 2007. Dynamic modeling of tension-controlled irrigation of container-grown nursery plants. Transactions of the ASAE 50(6): 2247-2254
- Barto, K., S. Enright, A. Eyles, C. Wallis, R. Chorbadjian, R. Hansen, D. Herms, P. Bonello and D. Cipollini. 2008. Effects of fertilization and fungal and insect attack on systemic protein defenses of Austrian pine. Journal of Chemical Ecology 34: 1392-1400
- Eyles A., P. Bonello, R. Ganley, and C. Mohammed. 2010. Induced resistance to pests and pathogens in trees. New Phytologist 185: 893-908
- Bonello P. 2010 Potential of induced resistance as a tool for the management of pathogens and insects in trees-An ecological viewpoint. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science 40: 515-524
- Wallis, C., A. Eyles, R. Chorbadjian, B. McSpadden-Gardener, R. Hansen, D. Cipollini, D.A. Herms and P. Bonello. 2008. Systemic induction of phloem secondary metabolism and its relationship to resistance to a canker pathogen in Austrian pine. New Phytologist 177 (3): 767-778
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In collaboration with the Departments of Entomology and Plant Pathology, the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) was filled to near maximum capacity during the 2010 summer growing season with 488 trees grown for three graduate student research projects. Specified fertility treatments were again delivered to each tree with our custom-designed, computer-controlled, Argus Nutrient Delivery System including pH control to 6.0. Project 1: An OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grant project entitled, "Testing the Systemic Induced Resistance Hypothesis: Implications for Plant Defense Theory" was restarted in 2010 after an unidentified pine tree disease damaged most of the trees that were being grown for the project summer 2009. Two hundred new Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees were potted in 3 gal containers and grown during the 2010 summer growing season after which the trees will be subjected to canker and insect induction summer 2011. Five nutrient treatments were specified and delivered to the trees. This interdisciplinary project was designed to test a new model that integrates the phenomenon of pathogen-induced systemic resistance with the growth/differentiation balance hypothesis in tripartite systems that include Austrian pine, the canker pathogen Diplodia pinea, and two pestiferous insects, the pine engraver and the European pine sawfly. Project 2: The objective of this project was to determine the effects of imidacloprid application and fertilization regimes in the nursery on subsequent establishment, growth, stress tolerance, and rates of carbon sequestration of the common shade trees Homestead elm (Ulmus 'Homestead') and Heritage river birch (Betula nigra) after transplanting to an urban street right-of-way in the Wooster, Ohio. During June 2 and 3, a total of 90 elm and 90 birch trees were transferred to the LNCERL where three specified nutrient treatments were delivered to the trees. Project 3: Tree growers lose millions of dollars annually due to transplant stress. Previous studies have found that the application of sugar (sucrose) to young trees can be used as an additional source of photosynthetic energy to improve transplant success by increasing root and shoot growth. However, sugar can also alter nutrient cycles by increasing populations of soil microbes which lead to nutrient immobilization. Limiting available nutrients to plants lower growth rates while increasing the concentration of secondary metabolites commonly used for defense. The objectives of this research were to determine the effect of fertility and sugar (sucrose) application on: (1) The concentration of carbon, nitrogen, condensed tannins and phenolics (secondary metabolites) in hybrid poplar trees (Populus nigra clone 5271) and (2) to measure the photosynthetic rates and overall growth of poplar trees. On May 27, 108 poplar trees were transferred to the LNCERL where three specified nutrient treatments were delivered. Starting at the end of July, each tree received a weekly root drench of 0.5L sugar solution at 0, 50 and 100 g/L for 4 weeks. The trees were harvested on September 2. PARTICIPANTS: Robert C. Hansen, Principal Investigator. Programmed and operated the computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation system. Responsible for supervision, measurements and associated data recording, repair and oversight for daily operation of the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Laboratory. Bill Bauerle, Professor Emeritus, Horticulture and Crop Sciences. Consultant and collaborator, plant nutrition and health and nutrient solution chemistry. Daniel A. Herms, Department of Entomology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments; provided trees, containers and potting mediums; responsible for measurements and associated data gathering; supervised graduate students. Pierluigi (Enrico) Bonello, Department of Plant Pathology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments, provided trees, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Don F. Cipollini, Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University. Collaborator. Designed experiments, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. M.J. Sciarini and M.H. Klingman. Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Research Project Design Engineers. Instrumentation. Alec Mackenzie, Marilyn Mackenzie and Jeff Neff. Argus Control Systems Ltd. Designed and constructed Argus Nutrient Delivery System. Alejandro Chiriboga, Samuel Andres Discua Duarte, Patrick Sherwood. Graduate Students. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nurserymen, Horticulturist, Growers, Extension Agents, Public, and Educators, Design Engineers of Controllers for Plant Production Systems PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
From October 26 to 29, 119 elm and birch trees were transplanted from the LNCERL to ten streets in residential areas of Wooster, Ohio. Their stress tolerance based on growth rate and survival will be assessed during 2011. Biomass production above and below ground for poplar trees deceased significantly compared with untreated ones after a weekly root drench of 0.5L sugar solution. This study showed fertilization with sugar had a negative effect on overall plant growth. Achieving a better understanding of the physiological and biochemical processes that influence the outcome of tree host-mediated interactions between pathogens and insects may guide strategies to improve tree performance in optimal and suboptimal environments through silvicultural prescription, genetic selection, and development of chemical tools capable of harnessing the natural defense system of trees.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: A project titled "Testing the Systemic Induced Resistance Hypothesis: Implications for Plant Defense Theory" was proposed and funded for two years as an Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition project by OARDC beginning 7/1/2008. Therefore, experiments were continued in 2009 in collaboration with Drs. Bonello, Herms, Cipollini and Brian Goldberger (graduate student) using computer-controlled fertigation to grow 200 Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees in 3 gal containers. Plants were delivered to the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) and connected to the fertigation system on July 22, 2008. Five levels of fertility were delivered with a new Argus Nutrient Delivery System: (1) 0 ppm N, (2) 25 ppm N, (3) 50 ppm N, (4) 75 ppm N and (5) 100 ppm N with N, P2O5 and K2O added to irrigation water in a 3:1:2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels (40 trees per fertility level). Fertigation events were delivered two times per day for five minutes through November 2008. The plants stayed outdoors in containers over winter. The Argus system was restarted April 1, 2009. The new delivery system was capable of delivering dilute sulfuric acid to the nutrient solution to control pH at a targeted level for the first time. A target pH of 6.0 was set. Tensiometers were installed June 22 and used to initiate fertigation events based on a set point of 5 kPa. Disease inductions were conducted in April followed by fungus and insect challenges in May. The interdisciplinary project was designed to test a new model that integrates the phenomenon of pathogen-induced systemic resistance (SIR) with the growth/differentiation balance hypothesis (GDBH) in tripartite systems that include Austrian pine, the canker pathogen Diplodia pinea, and two pestiferous insects, the pine engraver and the European pine sawfly. The cooperative project with Willoway Nurseries, Inc. that was initiated summer 2008 continued during summer 2009. Decagon 5TE Volumetric Water Content Sensors were randomly installed in 20 of the 200 Austrian pine tree containers in the LNCERL to test their ability to monitor moisture level, EC and potting medium temperatures before moving them to a nursery plot at Willoway summer 2010. Four Em50 Decagon Data Loggers were purchased and installed to record the data. A new lap-top computer was purchased so Decagon software could be installed and used to download the data from the Em50 data loggers in the field. We continued to monitor the capability of our new Argus Nutrient Delivery System (installed in the LNCERL summer 2008) to accurately deliver water and nutrients to container-grown plants throughout the summer of 2009. Samples were analyzed at the Agricultural Service Laboratory, Clemson University. Generally we observed the system was capable of delivering P and K within +/- 5% of their targeted concentrations while deviation for N ranged from 9.0 to 28.3% Aug 24 and from 12.0 to 36.7% Sep 10. Percent deviations for pH before injection valves were replaced compared to after they were replaced indicate acid injection valve wear was a problem. System revisions were underway at season's end. PARTICIPANTS: Robert C. Hansen, Principal Investigator. Programmed and operated the computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation system. Responsible for supervision, measurements and associated data recording, repair and oversight for daily operation of the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Laboratory. Bill Bauerle, Professor Emeritus, Horticulture and Crop Sciences. Consultant and collaborator, plant nutrition and health and nutrient solution chemistry. Daniel A. Herms, Department of Entomology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments; provided trees, containers and potting mediums; responsible for measurements and associated data gathering; supervised graduate students. Pierluigi (Enrico) Bonello, Department of Plant Pathology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments, provided trees, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Don F. Cipollini, Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University. Collaborator. Designed experiments, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. M.J. Sciarini and M.H. Klingman. Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Research Project Design Engineers. Instrumentation. Alec Mackenzie, Marilyn Mackenzie and Jeff Neff. Argus Control Systems Ltd. Designed and constructed Argus Nutrient Delivery System. Alieta Eyles, Rodrigo Chorbadjian, Chris Wallis, K. Riedl, S. Schwartz. Graduate Students. TARGET AUDIENCES: Greenhouse and Nursery Industry, Extension Agents PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Achieving a better understanding of the physiological and biochemical processes that influence the outcome of tree host-mediated interactions between pathogens and insects may guide strategies to improve tree performance in optimal and suboptimal environments through silvicultural prescription, genetic selection, and development of chemical tools capable of harnessing the natural defense system of trees. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices with the potential for adoption of new and improved practices. These results will provide a basis for understanding leaching and water and nutrient delivery efficiencies while developing systems for recycling water and nutrients into and out of holding ponds.
Publications
- Chorbadjian, R. A. (advisor Herms, D. A.) 2009. Phenotypic variation in host quality of pines for the European pine sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer). Ph.D. dissertation, The Ohio State University.
- Hansen, R.C., M.J. Sciarini, A. Mackenzie, J. Neff and M.H. Klingman. 2009. Development of a state-of-the-art nutrient delivery system to accommodate small treatment sizes needed for container-grown landscape nursery crop research plots. ISHS GreenSys Proceedings, Quebec City, Canada, June 14-19.
- Sciarini, M.J., M.H. Klingman, R.C. Hansen, A. Mackenzie, M. Mackenzie and J. Neff. 2009. Landscape nursery crop research and development using an Argus Nutrient Delivery System. Poster No. 09-045. Presented at the Northeast Agricultural and Biological Engineering Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia. July 26 29.
- Wallis, C., Eyles, A., Chorbadjian, R., Riedl, K., Schwartz, S., Hansen, R., Cipollini, D., Herms, D. A., Bonello, P. 2009. Differential effects of nutrient availability on the secondary metabolism of Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) phloem and resistance to Diplodia pinea. Forest Pathology. (available at: www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ 10.1111/j.1439-0329.2009.00636.x)
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The research focus in the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) during the 2008 summer growing season was installation and beta testing of our new, state-of-the art, Argus Nutrient Delivery System. The new Argus system was installed in a head house adjacent to the LNCERL while the Q-COM fertigator that was constructed and used since 1996 was simultaneously dismantled and removed. An eight-run, fractional factorial experiment was designed to test the new system using four controllable factors at two levels: Fertility (1) 25 ppm N, (2) 100 ppm N; pH level (1) 5, (2) 7; Flow Rate (1) 3 lpm, (2) 6 lpm and Irrigation Frequency (1) Tension, (2) Scheduled. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to irrigation water in 3:1:2 ratios proportionate to treatment levels. The eight treatments requiring 144 hybrid poplar (Populus nigra clone 5271) plants were laid out in the LNCERL using eight main lines and 36 laterals that were color coded according to treatment specifications. One-liter sample jars were placed at the end of each lateral so pH, EC and volume delivered could be measured and monitored. Software, firmware and hardware problems were detected and corrected throughout the summer. The experiment was designed and conducted to simulate actual experimental conditions. The data was only used to make adjustments and/or repairs in the nutrient solution delivery system. A project entitled "Testing the Systemic Induced Resistance Hypothesis: Implications for Plant Defense Theory" was proposed and funded for two years as an Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition project by the OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grant Program beginning 7/1/2008. Therefore, experiments were continued in 2008 in collaboration with Drs. Bonello, Herms and Cipollini and one graduate student using computer-controlled fertigation to grow 200 Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees in 3 gal containers beginning 7/22/08. Five levels of fertility were delivered: (1) 0 ppm N, (2) 25 ppm N, (3) 50 ppm N, (4) 75 ppm N and (5) 100 ppm N with N, P2O5 and K2O added to irrigation water in a 3:1:2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. Fertigation events were delivered two times per day for five minutes using the Argus Nutrient Delivery System. The interdisciplinary project was designed to test a new model that integrates the phenomenon of pathogen-induced systemic resistance (SIR) with the growth/differentiation balance hypothesis (GDBH) in tripartite systems that include Austrian pine, the canker pathogen Diplodia pinea, and two pestiferous insects, the pine engraver and the European pine sawfly. The first group of trees will be inoculated with the pathogen in early June 2009.Tom Demoline, President, Willoway Nurseries, Inc., Avon, Ohio and Dr. Bill Bauerle, OSU Professor Emeritus, Horticulture, agreed to set up experiments at Willoway to measure volumetric water content (VWC), pH and EC in container-grown plants as a basis for understanding leaching, water and nutrient delivery efficiencies, and systems for recycling water and nutrients. Sensors and data loggers for making these measurements were purchased and tested in preparation for installation, summer 2009. PARTICIPANTS: Robert C. Hansen, Principal Investigator. Programmed and operated the computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation system. Responsible for supervision, measurements and associated data recording, repair and oversight for daily operation of the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Laboratory. Daniel A. Herms, Department of Entomology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments; provided trees, containers and potting mediums; responsible for measurements and associated data gathering; supervised graduate students. Pierluigi (Enrico) Bonello, Department of Plant Pathology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments, provided trees, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Don F. Cipollini, Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University. Collaborator. Designed experiments, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Alieta Eyles, Rodrigo Chorbadjian, Chris Wallis, Kathryn Barto, Stephanie Enright. Graduate Students. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nurserymen, Greenhouse growers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Achieving a better understanding of the physiological and biochemical processes that influence the outcome of tree host-mediated interactions between pathogens and insects may guide strategies to improve tree performance in optimal and suboptimal environments through silvicultural prescription, genetic selection, and development of chemical tools capable of harnessing the natural defense system of trees. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices with the potential for adoption of new and improved practices.
Publications
- C. Wallis, A. Eyles, R. Chorbadjian, B. McSpadden Gardener, R. Hansen, D. Cipollini, D.A. Herms and P. Bonello. 2008. Systemic induction of phloem secondary metabolism and its relationship to resistance to a canker pathogen in Austrian pine. New Phytologist 177 (3): 767-778
- K. Barto, S. Enright, A. Eyles, C. Wallis, R. Chorbadjian, R. Hansen, D. Herms, P. Bonello and D. Cipollini. 2008. Effects of fertilization and fungal and insect attack on systemic protein defenses of Austrian pine. Journal of Chemical Ecology 34: 1392-1400.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Three experiments were conducted in the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) during the 2007 summer growing season with water and nutrients delivered by the OARDC Fertigator. Dr. Dan Herms and Alejandro Chiriboga (graduate student) designed two experiments as follow ups to their 2006 imidicloprid experiment. Expt. No. 1. A full factorial experiment compared four species of woody plants: (1) hybrid poplar (Populus nigra clone 5271), (2) shrub willow (Salix sericea), (3) river birch (Betula nigra) and (4) burning bush (Euonymus alatus); two levels of nutrition: (1) 30 ppm N and (2) 150 ppm N and two levels of imidacloprid drenching: (1) standard concentration and (2) zero application. Five blocks containing 32 trees (160 trees total) were grown resulting in ten replicates per treatment. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to irrigation water in 3:1:2 ratios proportionate to treatment levels. Expt. No. 2. This was a companion experiment to Expt. No. 1 where
three controllable factors were compared - plant species: (1) burning bush (Euonymus alatus), (2) hybrid poplar (Populus nigra clone 5271); nutrition: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 150 ppm N and imidicloprid application method: (1) drench, (2) tablet and (3) untreated (control). Ninety six trees were grown in four blocks of 24 trees resulting in 8 trees per treatment. A dry-down period was imposed at the end of the experiment to determine effects of imidacloprid on stress tolerance. The hypothesis was the same as last year, ie., trees treated with imidacloprid would lead to a greater mass of leaves, greater numbers of leaves and enhanced plant quality compared to untreated trees. The trees were placed in the LNCERL June 14 and harvested Aug 18. Expt. No. 3. The 2007 summer growing season was the final year of four years for this USDA/NRI project which involved the collaborative work of Drs. Bonello, Herms and Cippollini and three PhD graduate students (Alieta Eyles, Rodrigo Chorbadjian and Chris
Wallis). Computer-controlled fertigation was employed to grow the 120 Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees that remained after 120 out of 240 trees were harvested during the 2006 season. As before, three levels of fertility were delivered: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N with N, P2O5 and K2O added to irrigation water in 3:1:2 ratios proportionate to treatment levels. Fertigation events were delivered automatically again this year by the Q-COM GEM3 software based on accumulated evapotranspiration. As was done previously, during April, randomly selected trees and stems were challenged with European pine sawfly insect infestations and Shaeropsis sapinea (formally known as Diplodia pinea) pathogen infections. One publication resulted from this project during 2007 with two more written and under review.
PARTICIPANTS: Robert C. Hansen, Principal Investigator. Designed experiments, programmed and operated the computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation system. Responsible for supervision, measurements and associated data recording, repair and oversight for daily operation of the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Laboratory. Daniel A. Herms, Department of Entomology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments; provided trees, containers and potting mediums; responsible for measurements and associated data gathering; supervised graduate students. Enrico Bonello, Department of Plant Pathology. Principal Investigator. Designed experiments, provided trees, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Don F. Cipollini, Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University. Collaborator. Designed experiments, responsible for measurements and associated data gathering, supervised graduate students. Alieta Eyles, Rodrigo Chorbadjian and
Chris Wallis, Kathryn Barto. Graduate Students.
Impacts
By understanding genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow, poplar and pine trees to nutrient availability and effects of nutrient availability on their tolerance to herbivory, optimum biomass production, pest control and disease control may eventually be achieved with proper selection of genotype/nutrient delivery combinations. With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices with the potential for adoption of new and improved practices.
Publications
- Eyles, A., R. Chorbadjian, C. Wallis, R. Hansen, D.Cipollini, D.Herms and P.Bonello. 2007. Cross-induction of systemic-induced resistance between an insect and a fungal pathogen in Austrian pine over a fertility gradient. Oecologia 153: 365-374.
- Chiriboga, A., D.A. Herms and R. N. Royalty. 2007. Imidacloprid (Merit2F) increases the growth of the poplar (Populus nigra) clone NC5271 by increasing total leaf area. Presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, San Diego, CA. December 9-12. (Poster)
- Glynn C., D.A. Herms, C.M. Orians, R.C. Hansen and S. Larsson. 2007. Testing the growth-differentiation balance hypothesis: dynamic responses of willows to nutrient availability. New Phytologist 176(3): 623-634.
- Kirnak, H., H.M. Keener, R.C. Hansen and T.H. Short. 2007. Dynamic modeling of tension-controlled irrigation of container-grown nursery plants. Transactions of the ASAE 50(6): 2247-2254.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
Four experiments were conducted in the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) during the 2006 summer growing season with water and nutrients delivered by the OARDC Fertigator. Expt. No. 1. This experiment was designed in collaboration with Dr. Dan Herms and his graduate student (Alejandro Chiriboga) to determine the effects of imidacloprid on physiology of stress tolerance of hybrid poplar (Populus nigra clone 5271) while treated with low, medium and high levels of fertility and two irrigation regimes: (1) well-watered and (2) moderate drought stress. The hypothesis was that stressed trees that were treated with imidacloprid would lead to enhanced plant quality (EPQ) compared to trees grown without imidacloprid. One hundred fifty poplar trees were grown at the same three levels of fertility as was done in summer 2005: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experiment using five blocks. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to
irrigation water in a 3 1 2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. The trees were placed in the LNCERL May 30. Half of the plants were subjected to imidacloprid drench treatments and half were untreated. Thirty trees were harvested on July 14 as a control, 45 days after the May 30 start date. Drought stress was applied to one half (60) of the remaining trees on July 14 by setting tensiometers to signal fertigation events at 20 kPa until August 14 when the stressed trees were returned to well watered at 5 kPa. Results were adversely affected by a fungus disease known as Septoria musiva canker. Expt. No. 2. Experiments were continued in collaboration with Drs. Bonello, Herms and Cippollini and three PhD graduate students (Alieta Eyles, Rodrigo Chorbadjian and Chris Wallis) using computer-controlled fertigation to grow 240 Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees in containers during 2006. As before, three levels of fertility were delivered: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N with
N, P2O5 and K2O added to irrigation water in a 3 1 2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. Fertigation events were delivered automatically this year by the Q-COM GEM3 software based on accumulated evapotranspiration. During April, randomly selected trees and stems were challenged with European pine sawfly insect infestations and Shaeropsis sapinea (formally known as Diplodia pinea) pathogen infections. Laboratory measurements of treatment effects were completed, two papers were written and one has been submitted for publication. Expt. No. 3. As a follow up to studies of VWC measurement conducted in summer 2004 and summer 2005, eighty poplar trees were again grown in two blocks using eight laterals in each block. Four factors at two levels were compared using a fractional factorial design consisting of eight treatments: Fertility (50 ppm N, 100 ppm N), VWC target (40%, 30%), probe location (Top, Side) and type of sensor (WET Sensor, HydroSense). Due to a fungus disease that infested
most of the poplars grown in the LNCERL summer 2006 (Septoria musiva), treatment differences were masked and results from all of the dry biomass measurements could not be used.
Impacts
By understanding genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow, poplar and pine trees to nutrient availability and effects of nutrient availability on their tolerance to herbivory, optimum biomass production, pest control and disease control may eventually be achieved with proper selection of genotype/nutrient delivery combinations. With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices with the potential for adoption of new and improved practices.
Publications
- Hansen, R.C., J.C. Christman and D.A. Herms. 2006. The effects of fertility, VWC targets and pH modification on biomass production of poplar trees. Paper No. 06-4133. Presented at the ASAE Annual International Meeting, Portland, Oregon. July 9-12. Published on CD (search at asae.frymulti.com)
- Hansen, R.C. 2006. Computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation of container-grown landscape nursery plants. Northeast Agricultural and Biological Engineering Conference, McGill University, Lewes, Montreal, Quebec. July 30-Aug 2. (oral presentation)
- Hansen, R.C. 2006. Computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation of container-grown landscape nursery plants. 51st Annual SNA Research Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. August 9-10. (oral presentation)
- Chorbadjian, R., A. Eyles, C. Wallis, R. Hansen, D. Cipollini, P. Bonello and D. Herms. 2007. Fertility effects on growth and foliage chemistry of Austrian pine and European pine sawfly performance: a test of the growth/differentiation balance hypothesis. (internal review)
- Eyles, A., R. Chorbadjian, C. Wallis, R. Hansen, D.Cipollini, D.Herms and P.Bonello. 2007. Cross-induction of systemic induced resistance between an insect and a fungal pathogen in Austrian pine over a fertility gradient. Oecologia (submitted)
- Glynn C., D.A. Herms, C. M. Orians, R.C. Hansen and S. Larsson. 2007. Dynamic responses of willows to nutrient availability - a test of the growth-differentiation balance hypothesis. Functional Ecology (submitted, reviewed, being revised)
- Hale, B.K., D.A Herms, R.C. Hansen and T.P. Clausen. 2007. Comparison of the effects of intermittently and constantly applied drought stress on the growth of secondary metabolism of poplar. (internal review)
- Hansen, R.C., J.C. Christman and R.C. Derksen. 2006. Statistical evaluation of instruments designed to measure volumetric water content of soilless container media. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 22(5): 753-763.
- Wallis,C., A. Eyles, R. Chobadjian, B. McSpadden-Gardner, R. Hansen, D. Cipollini, D.A. Herms and P. Bonello. 2007. Metabolic priming and relationships of phloem chemistry with resistance to Sphaeropsis sapinea in Austrian pine subjected to different fertility levels and insect defoliation. Oecologia (internal review)
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Three experiments were conducted in the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) during the 2005 summer growing season with water and nutrients delivered by the OARDC Fertigator. Expt. No. 1. A unique approach to study of biomass production and plant tolerance to herbivory was introduced during 2005. Leaves were removed to simulate insect attacks on plants. One hundred fifty poplar trees (hybrid poplar clone NC5271, Populus nigra) were grown at three levels of fertility: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experiment using five blocks. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to irrigation water in a 3:1:2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. Four levels of defoliation were applied by manually removing leaves: (1) 0%, (2) 25%, (3) 50% and (4) 75%. The 150 trees were placed in the LNCERL May 26 where automated irrigation and fertigation were initiated according to the treatments specified for each irrigation lateral.
Simulated defoliation occurred during the week of July 4. The experiment was designed to provide a sample size of ten trees per treatment with an additional 30 trees grown as a control sample. Laboratory measurements of treatment effects on biomass production are pending. Expt. No. 2. Collaborative experiments using computer-controlled fertigation to grow 240 Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees in containers were continued during 2005 after the trees were repotted and over wintered in the lab. The trees continued to receive three levels of fertility: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N with N, P2O5 and K2O added to irrigation water in a 3:1:2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. During May, randomly selected trees and stems were challenged with European pine sawfly insect infestations and Shaeropsis sapinea (formally known as Diplodia pinea) pathogen infections. Laboratory measurements of treatment effects are pending. Expt. No. 3. Eighty poplar trees were grown in two
blocks using eight laterals in each block. Four factors at two levels were compared using a fractional factorial design consisting of eight treatments: Fertility (30 ppm N, 150 ppm N), VWC target (40%, 20%), pH modification (Yes, No) and type of sensor (WET Sensor, HydroSense). Measured responses included dry biomass production (leaf, stem, roots and total plant) and water and nutrient use efficiencies (g/g biomass). Preliminary results indicate average dry biomass produced per plant (leaves, stems, roots combined) was over 50% greater when the VWC target was maintained at 40% compared to 20% while, surprisingly, plants treated with 150 ppm N yielded 13% less biomass on average than plants treated with 30 ppm N. Meanwhile, a study of interactions showed that deciding "when to irrigate" with the WET Sensor led to 30% more dry biomass when targeting VWC at 40% while there was no significant difference in sensor capability when targeting VWC at 20%. Analysis of water and nutrient use
efficiencies are pending.
Impacts
By understanding genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow, poplar and pine trees to nutrient availability and effects of nutrient availability on their tolerance to herbivory, optimum biomass production, pest control and disease control may eventually be achieved with proper selection of genotype/nutrient delivery combinations. With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices with the potential for adoption of new and improved practices.
Publications
- Hale, B.K., D.A. Herms, R.C. Hansen, T.P. Clausen and D. Arnold. 2005. Effects of drought stress and nutrient availability on dry matter allocation, phenolic glycosides, and rapid induced resistance of poplar to two lymantriid defoliators. Journal of Chemical Ecology 31(11): 2601-2620.
- Prenger, J.J., P.P. Ling, R.C. Hansen and H.M. Keener. 2005. Plant response-based irrigation control system in a greenhouse: system evaluation. Transactions of the ASAE 48(3): 1175-1183.
- Hansen, R.C. and A.C. Clark. 2005. A study of lateral moisture migration in container mediums. Presented at the ASAE Annual International Meeting, Tampa Florida. July 17-20. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659. Paper No. 054057 available at http://asae.frymulti.com/newresults.asp
- Hansen, R.C. and J.C. Christman. 2005. Growth rates of container-grown poplar when using a volumetric water content sensor to decide when and how much to irrigate. Northeast Agricultural and Biological Engineering Conference, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE August 7-10. Available from author.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Studies of biomass production and plant tolerance to herbivory were continued during 2004 by growing 120 poplar trees (hybrid poplar clone NC5271,Populus nigra) for the second year in a row. The trees were grown at two levels of fertility this year: (1) 30 ppm N and (2) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experimental layout identical to the layout used in 2003. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to irrigation water in a 3 1 2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. Three treatment levels of stress were applied to the trees over an 80-day growing period starting May 14: (1) well-watered, (2) drought stress and (3) intermittent drought stress. Forty plants were well watered throughout the season, 40 were drought stressed for 60 days after being well watered for the first 20 days and 40 were intermittently stressed (well watered for the first 20 days, drought stressed for the next 20 days, well watered for the next 20 days and drought stressed for the last 20 days). Five trees
from each of the six fertility/drought stress combinations (a total of 30 trees) were harvested and analyzed at the end of the first and second twenty-day periods so responses could be measured as a function of time. Sixty trees or ten per treatment remained to be harvested at the end of the 80-day experiment. Drought stress was monitored with tension measurements recorded by 18 Irrometer LT tensiometers available in the lab. Unfortunately, unlike the results from 2003, the plants that were well watered with the 150 ppm N solution appeared to do poorly while the drought stressed trees watered with 30 ppm N solution fared a little better. Laboratory analyses indicated abnormal, yellowish colored leaves contained high levels of phosphorus and low levels of iron. While we included sulfuric acid in the delivery solution to reduce the pH from 8.5 to 6.0 during 2004, but did not do that during 2003, we could never explain these unexpected results. Application of liquid iron solution to the
leaves seemed to compensate for the deficiency to some extent. Laboratory measurements of treatment effects on biomass production, constitutive resistance to gypsy moth and white marked tussock moth are pending. Collaborative experiments using computer-controlled fertigation to grow 240 Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees in containers (two years old/approximately 8 inches tall) were initiated during 2004. The trees were grown at three levels of fertility: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experimental layout. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to irrigation water in a 3 1 2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. The project title is "Mechanisms and Outcomes of Host-Mediated Systemic Interactions between Pathogens and Insects in Austrian Pine over a Nutrient Gradient." The 2004 growing season was used to grow the plants in preparation for pathogen and insect treatments during 2005 and 2006. For some reason, the 150 ppm N treatment did poorly compared to the 30
and 75 ppm N treatments. The plants were over wintered in the LNCERL after being repotted in larger containers.
Impacts
By understanding genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow, poplar and pine trees to nutrient availability, and effects of nutrient availability on their tolerance to herbivory, optimum biomass production and pest control may eventually be achieved with proper selection of genotype/nutrient delivery combinations. With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices with the potential for adoption of new and improved practices.
Publications
- Glynn C., D.A Herms, C. Orians, R.C. Hansen and S. Larsson. 2004. Testing the growth/differentiation balance hypothesis on willow. XXII International Congress of Entomology. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. August 15-21.
- Hansen, R.C., D.A. Herms, J.J. Prenger, C. Glynn, B. Hale and T.H. Short. 2004. Computer-controlled irrigation and fertigation of container-grown landscape nursery plants. Poster Session. Northeast Agricultural and Biological Engineering Conference, Penn State University, University Park, PA, June 27-30.
- Hansen, R.C. and J.C. Christman. 2004. Statistical evaluation of instruments designed to measure volumetric water content of soilless container mediums. Paper No. 04-4022. Presented at the ASAE/CSAE Annual International Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. August 1-4. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659.
- Hale, B.K., D.A. Herms, R.C. Hansen, T.P. Clausen and D. Arnold. 2005. Effects of drought stress and nutrient availability on growth, secondary metabolism and rapid induced herbivore resistance in poplar. Journal of Chemical Ecology. (Submitted; reviewed; in the process of being revised)
- Hale, B.K., D.A. Herms, R.C. Hansen, and T.P. Clausen. 2004. Effects of drought stress and nutrient availability on growth, secondary metabolism and rapid induced resistance in poplar. Poster Session. Gordon Research Conference: Plant Herbivore Interaction, Ventura, California, February 29-March 5.
- Prenger, J.J., P.P. Ling, H.M. Keener and R.C. Hansen. 2005. Plant response based irrigation control using CWSI-IRT feedback and evapotranspiration modeling. Transactions of the ASAE. (Submitted; reviewed; in the process of being revised)
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Collaborative experiments using computer controlled fertigation to grow willow in containers continued during 2003. The same plants that were grown in 2002 were retained and grown for a second year using the same treatments and the same experimental layout (See CRIS Report 0187350 for 2002). These willow plants were stored outdoors in our Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory over winter October 1, 2002 to May 1, 2003 after repotting them in larger containers October 11 to 15, 2002. The project described here was initiated in the spring of 2002 to investigate genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow to nutrient availability, and effects of nutrient availability on biomass production and willow tolerance to herbivory. The capability of the OARDC Fertigator to deliver a relatively wide range of specified water quantities and associated nutrient concentrations was studied again during the summer growing season of 2003. The plants were
harvested during the week of August 4. Results are pending and will be based on analyses of biomass production and measurements of tolerance to herbivory. A companion study of biomass production and tolerance to herbivory using 150 poplar trees (hybrid poplar clone NC5271, Populus nigra) was also conducted during 2003. The trees were grown at three levels of fertility: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experimental layout. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to irrigation water in a 3 1 2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. Half of the poplar treatments were subjected to simulated drought stress midway through the growing season. Preliminary results indicated drought stress had a much more dramatic effect on phenolic glycoside concentration than did nutrient availability. Constitutive resistance to gypsy moth was highest on slowest growing plants (drought stress, low fertility), no treatment effects were evident for constitutive resistance to whitemarked
tussock moth. Collaborative research with Willoway Nurseries, Avon, Ohio also continued during summer 2003. The use of a HydroSense Volumetric Water Content (VWC) measurement device (Campbell Scientific, Inc., Logan, UT 84321) as a basis for deciding when to irrigate pot in pot container grown trees was to be compared to the growers scheduled irrigation practices. Plots were selected which were to compare growth rate for two cultivars: (1) Red Maple (Acer rubrum Red Sunset) and (2) Crimson Maple grown in two container sizes: (1) 7 gal and (2) 15 gal. Unfortunately, the HydroSense VWC measurement device was found to be sensitive to slow release granular fertilizer deposits on the surface of containers. This led to inaccurate, unreliable VWC measurements. The experiment was therefore delayed until the 2004 summer growing season pending the acquisition and testing of a Delta T WET Sensor (Delta-T Devices Ltd., Cambridge, England).
Impacts
By understanding genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow and poplar to nutrient availability, and effects of nutrient availability on their tolerance to herbivory, optimum biomass production and pest control may eventually be achieved with proper selection of genotype/nutrient delivery combinations. With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as prescribed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices with the potential for adoption of new and improved practices.
Publications
- Glynn, C., D.A. Herms, M. Egawa, R.C. Hansen, and W.J. Mattson. 2003. Effects of nutrient availability on biomass allocation as well as constitutive and induced herbivore resistance in poplar. Oikos 101: 385-397.
- Hale, B.K., D.A. Herms, R.C. Hansen, and T.P. Clausen. 2003. Effects of drought stress and nutrient availability on growth, secondary metabolism and rapid induced resistance in poplar. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 26-29.
- Hansen, R.C. 2003. Measured responses of container-grown nursery trees to grower fertigation. Paper No. 03-5001. Presented at the 96th ASAE Annual International Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, July 27-30. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659.
- Hansen. R.C., C. Pasian and P.P. Ling. 2003. Effects of moisture tension control on evapotranspiration, growth, compactness and flowering of bedding plants. Paper No. 03-5008. Presented at the 96th ASAE Annual International Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, July 27-30. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659.
- Prenger, J.J., P.P. Ling, H.M. Keener and R.C. Hansen. 2003. Plant response based irrigation control using CWSI-IRT feedback and evapotranspiration modeling. Paper No. 03-4101. Presented at the 96th ASAE Annual International Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, July 27-30. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659.
- Ting, K.C., T.H. Short, P.P. Ling, L.Y. Zhao and R.C. Hansen. 2003. Engineering research on controlled environment plant production systems at the Ohio State University. Proceedings of 2003 International Forum on Bio-environmental and Bio-energy Engineering, Beijing, China, November 21-23: 166-178. (Published by the China Agricultural Science and Technology Publisher)
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Collaborative experiments using computer-controlled fertigation to grow willow in containers continued during 2002. The project described here was initiated in the spring of 2002 to investigate genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow to nutrient availability, and effects of nutrient availability on willow tolerance to herbivory. No other study has attempted to quantify the heritability of phenotypic plasticity or herbivore tolerance in a woody plant species. Collaborators included Dr. Dan Herms, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, OARDC; Dr. Carolyn Glynn, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden; Professor Stig Larsson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Professor Robert Fritz , Vassar College and Associate Professor Colin Orians, Tufts University. The trees were propagated from cuttings that were air freighted from Sweden in April and potted in 3-gallon containers in June with plans to grow them through two summer growing seasons
(2002 and 2003). The experimental design consisted of 24 treatments with 10 plants per treatment. Eight genotypes of willow were grown at three levels of fertility: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experimental layout. N, P2O5 and K2O were added to irrigation water in a 3-1-2 ratio proportionate to treatment levels. The effects of fertility levels on biomass production and tolerance of insect herbivore will be investigated during the 2003 summer growing season after repotting in October 2002 and holding the plants over winter. Responses will include plant physiological measurements: average leaf area, specific leaf mass, estimate of total leaf area, above and below ground biomass measurements (leaf, root, stem) and photosynthesis. Foliar analyses will be conducted to determine C, N, and C/N ratio. Insect bioassays will also be done. The capability of the OARDC Fertigator to deliver a relatively wide range of specified water quantities and associated
nutrient concentrations will continue to be tested. In a separate project, arrangements were made with Willoway Nurseries, Avon, Ohio to compare growth rate, container solution EC, container solution pH and volumetric water content for four nursery tree cultivars: (1) Red Maple (Acer rubrum `Red Sunset'), (2) Sugar Maple (Acer saccharinum `Green Mountain'), (3) Sargent Crabapple (Malus sargentii) and Red Oak (Quercus rubra) grown in three container sizes: 7 gal, 15 gal and 25 gal. All combinations of cultivar and container size were randomly selected and replicated three times. Measurements were made on a weekly basis over a 12-week period beginning June 27 and ending September 12. Preliminary results indicated increase in trunk diameter (caliper) ranged from 8 to 33 % during the 12-week period. Container solution EC ranged from 0.75 to 3.49 mmhos/cm while container solution pH ranged from 5.7 to 8.1. Volumetric Water Content (VWC) ranged from 0.30 to 0.50 cc/cc. The results permitted
the grower to monitor and evaluate variation in growth, EC, pH and VWC for his 'tubing and dripper' water and nutrient supply system for pot-in-pot, container-grown trees.
Impacts
By understanding genetic variation in phenotypic responses of willow to nutrient availability, and effects of nutrient availability on willow tolerance to herbivory, optimum biomass production and pest control may eventually be achieved with proper selection of willow genotype/nutrient delivery combinations. With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as needed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications. Collaboration with landscape nursery crop growers permits onsite measurements and assessments of current water and nutrient management practices.
Publications
- Hansen, R.C., J.J. Prenger, C. Glynn and D.A. Herms. 2002. Computer-controlled delivery of five levels of nutrients to container-grown willow (Year II). Paper No. 02-4042. Presented at the 95th ASAE Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, Chicago, Illinois, July 28-31. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659
- Prenger, J.J., R.P. Fynn and R.C. Hansen. 2002. A comparison of four evapotranspiration models in a greenhouse environment. Transactions of the ASAE 45(6): xxx-xxx.
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
An experiment was designed in collaboration with Dr. Dan Herms, Department of Entomology, OARDC, Dr. Carolyn Glynn, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden, Professor Stig Larsson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Professor Robert Fritz , Vassar College and Associate Professor Colin Orians, Tufts University to grow willow trees potted in 2-gallon containers using computer-controlled fertigation during the summer of 2001. The experimental design consisted of 10 treatments with 24 plants per treatment. Two willow species: (1) Salix sericea and Salix eriochephela were grown at five levels of fertility (1) 0 ppm N, (2) 25 ppm N, (3) 50 ppm N, (4) 150 ppm N and (5) 220 ppm. A 3?1?2 ratio of N, P and K were added proportionate to treatment levels. The effects of fertility levels on biomass production and resistance to insect herbivore in willows were investigated. Responses included plant physiological measurements: average leaf area, specific leaf mass,
estimate of total leaf area, above and below ground biomass measurements (leaf, root, stem) and photosynthesis. Foliar analyses were conducted to determine C, N, C/N ratio, condensed tannins and phenolic glycosides (salicortin and 2'cinnamolysalicortin). Insect bioassays were done for gypsy moth. The capability of the OARDC Fertigator to deliver a relatively wide range of specified water quantities and associated nutrient concentrations was also tested. Preliminary results showed an inverse relationship between levels of fertility and secondary metabolite production. Early results also indicated that as fertility decreased, root mass per unit of above ground biomass increased. A survey of automation and mechanization needs for nursery crop production was conducted and summarized during 2001 with trips to northern Ohio and central California. Dale Hammersmith, Willoway Nurseries, Inc., Avon, Ohio, emphasized the need for increasing the mechanization of container handling, the need for
improving the capability of spray stakes to deliver irrigation water uniformly and reliably to container-grown plants and the need for daily measurement of moisture contents in container mediums during the growing season. Dr. Peter Fynn, Monrovia Nurseries, Inc., Visalia, California, indicated only 30 to 40 % of the water typically delivered to container-grown plants by over head sprinkler systems is actually available to plants.the rest either evaporates due to wind or has to be recycled through underground drainage systems. To avoid these losses, computer-controlled delivery of water through tubing and emitters 'as needed but no more' needs to be studied. Dr. Fynn also noted that the effect of wind velocity on stomatal resistance to evapotranspiration from landscape nursery plants grown outdoors and its impact on the ability of ET models to accurately predict evapotranspiration need to be studied. Extensive testing of the OARDC Fertigator December, 2001, indicated volume of solution
delivered by nutrient injectors decreased from 38.8 ml to 34.0 ml (12.4%) as stroke rate increased from 10 to 30 cycles per minute.
Impacts
With a computer-controlled fertigation system, water and nutrients can be delivered as needed, rather than being restricted to a pre-determined weekly irrigation schedule or the unpredictability of slow-release fertilizers. Optimum plant growth and health can be achieved by conserving water, nutrients and/or pesticides thus limiting runoff while avoiding plant stress due to deficient applications
Publications
- Prenger, J.J., R.C. Hansen, C. Glynn and D.A. Herms. 2001. Computer-controlled delivery of five levels of nutrients to container-grown willow. Paper No. 01-8013. Presented at the 94th Annual International Meeting of the ASAE, Sacramento, California, July 29-August 1. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659
- Prenger, J.J., R.P. Fynn and R.C. Hansen. 2001. An evaluation of four evapotranspiration models. Paper No. 01-8010. Presented at the 94th Annual International Meeting of the ASAE, Sacramento, California, July 29-August 1. ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659
- Kirnak, H. and T.H. Short. 2001. An evapotranspiration model for nursery plants grown in a lysimeter under field conditions. Turkish Journal for Agriculture and Forestry 25(1): 57-63.
- Lee, I-B., T.H. Short, S. Sase, L. Okushima and G.Y. Qiu. 2000. Evaluation of structural characteristics of naturally ventilated multi-span greenhouses using computer simulation. Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly 34(4): 247-256.
- Lee, In-Bok, T.H. Short, S. Sase, and S. Lee. 2001. Evaluation of computational fluid dynamics for analysis of aerodynamics in naturally ventilated multi-span greenhouses. Journal of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Korea 1(2): 73-80.
- Lee, In-Bok, T.H. Short. 2001. Verification of computational fluid dynamic temperature simulations in a full-scale naturally ventilated greenhouse. Transactions of the ASAE 44(1): 119-127.
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