Nutrient Loading of White Spruce and Jack Pine Seedlings for Potential Out-Planting In Oil Sands Reclamation.

White spruce (Picea glauca) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) are widely distributed over Canada and two of the most common tree species planted for land reclamation in the oil sands region. Low nutrient availability and competing vegetation are some of the issues facing tree crop establishment for land reclamation in the oil sands region. We report here a research project aimed at producing white spruce and jack pine seedlings that have nutrient reserves built up (or nutrient-loaded) in the nursery stage. Nutrient loaded seedlings are expected to have an advantage over conventionally produced ones when planted for land reclamation. The objective of this study was to determine the target fertilization rates and models for effective nutrient loading to increase nutrient storage in white spruce and jack pine seedlings in the nursery prior to out-planting in the field. The greenhouse experiment was conducted from September 2010 to February 2011. Seedlings were either conventionally (C) or exponentially (E) fertilized or not (CK). Seven treatments were evaluated in this study: for white spruce - CK, C300, E300, E450, E750, E900 and E1050 (the values represent total mg N supplied to each seedling using complete fertilizer solution) and for jack pine – CK, C200, E200, E300, E500, E700 and E900. The results showed that both white spruce and jack pine seedlings under some exponential fertilization regimes had similar height and root collar diameter (RCD) growth and dry biomass as that in the conventional fertilization regime. Plant tissue nutrient concentrations are being analyzed. We will discuss the relationships among nutrient supply, seedling growth, and seedling tissue nutrient content and concentration for both species to identify optimal loading rates. Additionally, we will identify the effective nutrient loading model for commercial nursery production of white spruce and jack pine seedlings for deployment in land reclamation.