Fertilization rate and irrigation scheduling in the nursery influence growth, insect performance, and stress tolerance of 'Sutyzam' crabapple in the landscape

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if fertilization and irrigation practices in the nursery affect plant growth and stress resistance following outplanting in the landscape. Flowering crabapple (Malus) 'Sutyzam', grown in containers under factorial combinations of two irrigations schedules (containers irrigated at 25% or 50% container capacity) and three rates of fertilization (N at 50, 200, 350 mg·L-1) in a nursery in 1997 were outplanted in a low maintenance landscape in 1998. Trees from the high fertility regime grew faster in the landscape the year of transplant. Tree growth in the landscape was positively correlated with N concentration in plants in the nursery and negatively correlated with concentrations of phenolics in the foliage in the landscape. However, the trees showing the greatest amount of diameter growth had the lowest concentrations of foliar phenolics. Trees with low concentrations of phenolics also exhibited a greater potential for herbivory by larvae of the eastern tent caterpillar, gypsy moth, and white-marked tussock moth. Additionally, trees exhibiting rapid growth in the landscape also had reduced photosynthesis during summer drought compared to slower growing trees, suggesting a reduced drought tolerance in the landscape. Differences in growth and stress resistance did not carry beyond the year of transplant. Our results illustrate that irrigation and fertilization methods in the nursery can influence growth post transplant, however fertilization also appears to have a significant impact on stress resistance traits of the trees. These impacts from the nursery production methods had no effect after plants had acclimated to the conditions in the landscape during the year following transplant.