Polysaccharide, proline, and anti-oxidation enzyme activities of Thailand rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis) seedlings exposed to exponential fertilization

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Thailand rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis) is a vulnerable high value tree species in subtropical and tropical Southeast Asia. The demand for the rehabilitation of the natural habitat of the species requires high-quality seedlings. However, current fertilizer regimes tend to deliver a coarse rate of fertilizers that result in a low uptake efficiency and a high risk of nutrient excess. Exponential fertilization is an effective approach to promote seedling quality through identifying an optimum dose out of a range of applications. In this study, Thailand rosewood seedlings were cultured in a mixed substrate of perlite, vermiculite, and peat (2:2:3, v/v/v) and received exponential fertilization from 0 (control), through 100, 200, 300, 400, and 600 mg nitrogen (N) per plant over a four-month cultural rotation. Height, diameter, and shoot biomass increased with fertilizer rate and were maximized at 300 mg N per plant. This application also reduced nutrient deficiencies and avoided excess supply compared to higher rates. Polysaccharide, proline, and anti-oxidation enzyme activities tended to be greater in unfertilized controls or in over-fertilized high dosages, with lower activities around 100–300 mg N plant−1. Application of 300 mg N per plant was identified as the optimum dosage as it maximized nutrient reserves, polysaccharide and proline contents, and anti-oxidants without causing any symptoms from excess fertilizer toxicity. Future work is required to identify the effects of N-fixation on the formation of nutritional reserves in Thailand rosewood seedlings subjected to exponential fertilization. View source
Year

2021

Secondary Title

Journal of Forestry Research

Publisher

Northeast Forestry University

Volume

33

Number

1

Pages

75-87

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-021-01300-4

Language

Classification
Form: Journal Article
Geographical Area: Thailand

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