ABSTRACT:
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has resulted in substantial acreage planted to trees in the southeastern United States. Some CRP sites have experienced excessive pine seedling mortality, and multiple plantings on some sites have failed to achieve adequate stocking. This work attempted to identify factors or complexes of agents that may account for this pine seedling mortality. Application of the highest labeled rate of sulfometuron (even on soil with a pH as high as 6.5) decreased loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) mortality on CRP sites. Herbicide residuals from prior agronomic crops do not appear to explain loblolly pine mortality on prior agricultural sites. Carbofuran decreased mortality of loblolly pine seedlings and reduced the frequency of damage by root-feeding insects, such as white grubs and white-fringe beetle larvae. Root-feeding insects; fungi, such as Fusarium spp. and Macrophomina spp.; and nematodes were present on most CRP sites sampled and may be causing or exacerbating pine mortality.
Footnotes
R. J. Mitchell is an associate professor, G. B. Runion is a postdoctoral fellow, W. D. Kelley and D. H. Gjerstad are professors, and C. H. Brewer is a research technician, School of Forestry and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5418. Paper No. 9-892238P of the Journal Series of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Funding for this project was provided by the Georgia Forestry Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, Southern Experiment Station. The authors thank James Noefor nematode extraction and identification; Wayne Dixon for insect identification; and David South, William Carey, and Graeme Lockaby for reviews of the manuscript.
- Copyright 1991 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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