Early Shoot and Root Quality Effects on Nursery and Field Development of Tissue-cultured Loblolly Pine

Abstract

Abstract Height, number of roots, root length, and shoot quality rating on loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) tissue culture plantlets were measured in the laboratory and related to subsequent nursery and field performance. Shoot quality rating was the most important characteristic and was most consistently correlated with nursery and field traits. These results imply that only plantlets with the best shoot quality rating should be used so that growth rates will be similar to seedlings.