Growth Performance of Containerized Pinus thunbergii Seedlings on Sand-gravel Deposition Generated by a Typhoon Storm Surge

Abstract

I evaluated the effects of horticultural soil application, depth of sand deposition, and codling moth attack on survival and growth performance of containerized seedlings of Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii (Pinaceae), during the first year after planting, in order to examine the reforestation planting techniques for sand-gravel deposition areas generated by a typhoon storm surge. Electronic conductivity and ion concentration indicated that sand-gravel sedimentation had no harmful salinity for the seedling growth even five months after the occurrence of typhoon. Generalized linear model analysis revealed that more seedlings failed to survive with no horticultural soil application. The height and diameter growth of black pine seedlings were negatively affected by codling moth attack on winter buds. The diameter growth was negatively affected by sand deposition depth whereas a positive effect was observed due to application of horticultural soil. Significant increase was observed in the diameter growth of these seedlings upon the application of 3 L of horticultural soil per seedling as compared to that of 1 L application per seedling. Thus, I conclude that increased horticultural soil and enhanced protection against codling moth are required for better growth performance of black pine seedlings at deeper sand-gravel deposition sites.