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Greening Ohio Highways: Factors and Practices that Affect Tree Establishment

Gordon, Phoebe E
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1417687987

Abstract Details

2014, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Horticulture and Crop Science.
Twenty million acres of land associated with rights-of-way (ROWs) along US highways represent a significant opportunity for the formation of carbon sinks. However, tree survival in these harsh environments can be limited by compacted soil and infrequent watering. This dissertation addresses some of these constraints, specifically: improving tree establishment via improved tree liner quality. Platanus occidentalis (sycamore) and Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis (thornless honeylocust) were transplanted into five different air pruning pots or left in control trays for six weeks, then transplanted into 11.4 L containers. Geohumus, a water absorbing polymer, was added to the soilless substrate, and the trees were divided evenly between a retractable roof greenhouse (RRG) or outside. At the end of 2011, approximately half of the Geohumus trees were harvested, and the remaining trees were overwintered. In 2012, Geohumus trees were out-planted at a highway site. In 2013, P. occidentalis and Acer xfreemanii `Sienna’ (Sienna Glenn freeman maple) were planted in starter pots and transplanted after six (6WIP) or twelve weeks (12WIP) in the starting pots and split between the two environments. They were harvested at the end of 2013. No Geohumus was used this year. Starting pot type had no effect on 2011 height after six weeks in the starting pots. However, in October, 2011, G. triacanthos trees started in Ellepots™ had a smaller caliper relative to the other pot types. In 2013, starting pot type had no effect on initial height and biomass measures in the 6WIP group, however at 12WIP there were differences in these initial measures, indicating that duration in the pots was important. At 12WIP initial measures, P. occidentalis were largest in BRM due to root pruning being favorable to growth; A. xfreemanii `Sienna’ were largest in Jif, control, and BRM pots, which were the largest volume starting pots. In the 2013 October harvest, 6WIP P. occidentalis trees were 28% larger than 12WIP trees, and A. xfreemanii `Sienna’ were 23% larger, presumably due to root restriction in the form of six extra weeks in the starting pots. A. xfreemanii 6WIP trees had 54% larger root masses, increasing the shoot:root ratios over 6WIP trees. In 2011, Geohumus decreased G. triacanthos shoot:root ratios. 2011 P. occidentalis trees in the RRG had 32% higher shoot:root ratios; which I conclude was due to the RRG being an optimal growing environment compared to the outdoor environment. Two years after transplanting, G. triacanthos with 0.5 and 2% Geohumus from the RRG, (the largest trees at planting), grew less than all outside trees with Geohumus, (the smallest at out-planting). P. occidentalis caliper was the largest when started in the RRG with a small addition of 0.5% Geohumus. Further studies should be done to examine the effect of the length of time in starting pot on transplanting establishment, as well the size of tree on establishment in planting in an adverse environment.
Hannah Mathers, Ph.D. (Advisor)
John Cardina, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Edward McCoy, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Daniel Struve, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
184 p.
Horticulture
Tree, production, environment, transplanting, highway environment

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Gordon, P. E. (2014). Greening Ohio Highways: Factors and Practices that Affect Tree Establishment [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1417687987

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Gordon, Phoebe. Greening Ohio Highways: Factors and Practices that Affect Tree Establishment. 2014. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1417687987.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Gordon, Phoebe. "Greening Ohio Highways: Factors and Practices that Affect Tree Establishment." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1417687987

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1417687987
773
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.