Using air-pots to improve shoot and root quality of saplings of five shrub species used in landscape restoration

ABSTRACT

Establishment of saplings of woody ornamental perennials is a challenging task during mass plantation campaigns in degraded landscapes. Consequently, large proportions of transplanted saplings fail to flourish. A two-year field study was conducted with an objective of raising quality saplings of five woody shrubs (Buxus sempervirens, Lawsonia inermis, Murraya paniculata, Schefflera arboricola and Tecoma stans) under the subtropical environment of Northwest India to address this issue. Six-month-old, rooted seedlings of these shrubs were planted in two container types: air-pots and poly bags (Control), arranged in a randomised complete block design replicated three times. A two-year study revealed that container type significantly altered the root and shoot characteristics. The saplings raised in air-pots showed a higher percentage increment for collar diameter, plant height, first order lateral roots, root and shoot dry weight as compared to those grown in poly bags. Observations revealed a higher order of deflected, circled, or kinked roots in the poly bag raised saplings, along with a higher increment in root length due to unchecked extension of tap root(s). Air-pots also exhibited better indices with acceptable root: shoot ratio and sturdiness quotient with negligible root deformities, a necessary pre-requisite for better survival and establishment of transplanted saplings.

KEYWORDS:

• Root pruning
• air pruning
• root-shoot ratio
• quality sapling
• shrubs

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Head of the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, PAU, Ludhiana for providing the necessary facilities for undertaking this research trial.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

No specific funding was received for the study undertaken.

Notes on contributors

Simrat Singh

Simrat Singh is a scientist, working in the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. His research interests include production of quality planting material for perennial landscape plantations.

Rishu Sharma

Rishu Sharma is a scientist, working in the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. Her research interests include production of quality planting material for herbaceous ornamental potted plants.

A.K. Dhakad

A.K. Dhakad works as a tree breeder in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. He is responsible for the collection and evaluation of forestry tree species and undertakes phenological studies as a function of climate change.

K.K. Dhatt

K.K. Dhatt works as a principal scientist in the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. Her research interests include breeding landscape plant material for their adaptation to abiotic stresses.