REVISITING AND RETHINKING WATER, SOIL AND NUTRITION IN SEED ORCHARDS Clare Kooistra June 2016 Conifera
Causality Dilemma... Which comes first... The e Pine ne or the e Cone? e? Where is our focus?
Managing Trees Objective : Seed!! Achieving Objective : Managing Trees How? Understand tree dynamics. Maximize potential of all plant systems. Strive for tree health and vigor. Balance cone initiation and growth. Consider the whole tree.
Orchard Tree Environment and Management Knowledge Ecology of Species Orchard location Plant physiology Historical record Managing Limiting factors Tree health and vigor Improving seed yields
Orchard Environments & Species Characteristics Py Pli Pw Soil Nutrient Regime Soil Nutrient Regime Soil Nutrient Regime Actual Soil Moisture Regime Actual Soil Moisture Regime Actual Soil Moisture Regime Generalized edaphic amplitude of Ponderosa Pine, Lodgepole Pine and Western White Pine according to actual soil moisture and nutrient regimes. Kalamalka – Reservoir and Bailey sites
Pli Transects -2015 Vernon Kal & Bailey SO, Vernon 470/520 m Philpott/Mugford L 990 m M 1293 m H 1574 m Bouleau/Granite L 667 m M 1335 m H 1656 m Silver Star L 713 m Kelowna M 1141 m H 1614 m
Pli Transect 2015 Total & Filled Seeds / Cone % Filled Seed / Cone 35.0 80.0% 30.0 70.0% 25.0 60.0% 20.0 50.0% Total 15.0 Filled 40.0% 10.0 30.0% 5.0 20.0% 0.0 5-Sep-15 5-Sep-15 5-Sep-15 5-Sep-15 5-Sep-15 5-Sep-15 Low Mid High Low Mid High
Pli Transect 2015 Other Observations Occurrence of greater than 2 cones at one site frequent at high elevations, absent at low elevations Needles retention on branches: 7-8 years on high elevation 2-3 years on low elevation
Common Clone -1536, Kal 230, 307 & PG 228 Clone 1536 Methods Summary Multiple (8) locations were sampled weekly (July and August) at Kalamalka Orchards 230 and 307 and 3 collections (August) were taken at Prince George in Orchard 228. Each Orchard analyzed separately.
Common Clone - 1536 Total Seeds per Cone Total number of seeds per cone did not vary over time.
Common Clone -1536 Filled Seeds per Cone The number of filled seeds per cone declined as the growing season progressed at Kalamalka 307 but not at the other orchards.
Common Clone -1536 Percentage Filled Seeds per Cone The proportion of seeds that were filled declined as the growing season progressed at the Kalamalka orchards. At the Prince George orchard, the proportion of seeds that were filled did not change over time, and was much higher than at the Kalamalka orchards.
Common Clone -1536 Seed Production: Most of the variation in the percentage of filled seeds and in the number of filled seeds per cone occurs among sites, followed by orchards and locations within orchards. Most of the variation in the total number of seeds per cone occurs among locations, followed by orchards.
Current Orchard Environments The Good – traditionally hotter drier climates seen as great environments for orchards to provide Rapid growth Away from pollen contamination Environmental stress to induce flower production The Bad – Trees growing outside of environmentally adapted range Orchard site stress limits production Weakened plant ability to produce and to combat stress The Ugly – Tree mortality, low seed production Mortality for various persistent or recurring stresses mortality can occur in seasons after critical stress
Where Does that leave us? What we know and are learning Orchard location – outside of the ecological zone of many species Species characteristics – Seed production effected by semi-arid locations Plant physiology – Responses to stress Historical record – learn from past practices Managing for the best Managing for limiting factors Tree health and vigor Ultimately improving seed yields
Psychology 101 Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs (plants) Reproduction Growth Stress & injury response Environment resources
Orchard Environments We are growing in environments that are limiting to some species, and the primary limiting factors are heat accompanied with low humidity. 1-Jan to 31- Dec, 2015 GDD’s 3000 2706.6 2640.8 2538.8 2500 2203 1938.4 2000 1500 1000 500 0 4 ˚C 35 ˚C
Orchard Environment – High Temperature Internal changes within the living tree as heat loading effects increase: 1.Decrease in photosynthesis (Ps) and increase in respiration (Rs). 2.Closing down of Ps (turn-over point for Ps and Rs = 35 ˚ C ). 3.Closed stomata stop CO2 capture and food production. 4.Major slowing of transpiration (loss of heat dissipation, increase of internal temperature, and transportation / absorption problems). 5.Increasing cell membrane leakage. 6.Continued physical water loss and dehydration. 7.Cell division and expansion inhibited, and growth regulation disrupted. 8.Tree starvation through rapid use of food reserves, inefficient food use, increased photo-respiration, and inability to call on reserves when and where needed. 9.Toxins generated (cell membrane releases and respiration problems) and deficiencies of elements and metabolites occur. 10.Membrane integrity loss and protein breakdown. 11.Local cell death, tissue lesions, and tissue death.
Orchard Environment – H ₂ O – Atmospheric Moisture, Humidity Humidity affects VPD – “ Drying power of the air” Hot Dry Air – Increases VPD Moisture loss initially through stomata Transpiration cooling During low humidity and high temperatures The plant shuts stomata and can’t draw up water to cool itself And if soil moisture is low, it can’t pull up moisture, esp. if fine textured soil And Pli with partial stomata closure - continue to lose water even if it can’t be replaced Other species have better stomatal control, but still can’t cool themselves Worsened by wind. Experiences these conditions for a number of hours every day for many days in the Okanagan summer. Stress in cumulative, plants need time to recover between stress events.
Water Management Water management experiments Reports of the 2006 – Pli working Group, Chris Walsh Managing water Know water amount in soils is adequate and available to plants as Temp. increases and Humidity drops. Adjust irrigation to meet need; rate of loss/replacement Consider irrigation design. Know water source and what it contains
Water Management – Kalamalka 230 – Sandy Loam, FC = 25%, WP = 12% 40 35 30 25 MC% 230 20 15 10 307 – Sandy Clay Loam, FC = 27%, WP = 17% 40 35 30 25 MC% 307 20 15 10
Water Management – Bailey 340 – Sandy Loam, FC = 25%, WP = 12%
Water – Kalamalka & Bailey 2015 City of Vernon Water Reclamation Centre (VWRC) Test Results Septembe April May June July August r October VWRC Reclaimed grab grab grab grab grab grab grab Water sample sample sample sample sample sample sample average pH 7.7 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.7 7.7 Total Phosphorus mg/l 0.23 0.25 0.23 0.19 0.18 0.22 0.33 0.23 Total Nitrogen mg/l 3.8 6.0 5.4 5.4 5.3 4.0 4.4 4.9 MacKay Reservoir not not Reclaimed Water irrigating Irrigating Irrigating Irrigating Irrigating Irrigating irrigating pH 8.1 8.1 7.9 8.3 9.0 8.3 Total Phosphorus mg/l 0.87 0.91 0.98 0.99 0.92 0.93 Total Nitrogen mg/l 2.93 2.46 3.00 2.22 2.16 2.6
Soils Relationship of Field Capacity, Wilting Point, Available Water and Unavailable Water to Soil Texture Bailey, & Kalamalka
Soils – Based on the 1999 report and current work of Chuck Bulmer, Kalamalka Research Station Bailey - Soil Texture 80.00 70.00 60.00 50.00 40.00 Sand % Clay % 30.00 Silt % 20.00 10.00 0.00
Soils Bailey Clay Loam, 28 - 40% clay Loam, 8 – 28% clay Kalamalka Seed Orchards Sandy Clay Loam, 20 – 36% clay Bailey Road Site Sandy Loam, < 20% clay June 2012 340 EK Pli 324 2002 3.9 ha N Fdi NE high 6 x 3.5 2000 2.8 ha 1864 ramets 335 Pw KQ 6 x 3 1864 locations 1995 5.7 ha 1484 ramets 6 x 4 1529 locations 1571 ramets 2388 locations 340 expansion 2008 1.1 ha 519 ramets Security 324 x 519 locations Residence Fdi NE high 347 Pli NE low 2007 3.3 ha 346 Py 2008 3.8 ha 336 Fdi EK 2007 3.8 ha 6 x 3 silver 6 x 3 birch 6 x 4 2006 2.1 ha 2009 1410 ramets 2022 ramets 1386 ramets 1048 ramets 1821 locations 2022 locations 1147 locations 1569 locations hold area Seed Orchard Compound Wildfire Management Branch Note: Ramet and location numbers are as of early summer 2012 100 metres
Soils - Kalamalka Kalamalka - Soil Texture 80.00 70.00 60.00 50.00 Sand % 40.00 Clay % 30.00 Silt % 20.00 10.00 0.00
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