Comparative water relations of container-grown and bare-root ectomycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal Quercus velutina seedlings

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Abstract
A 2 .times. 2 factorial field experiment was conducted with black oak (Q. velutina) to examine the effects of seedling production method (container-grown vs. bare-rooted) and inoculation with Pisolithus tinctorius on seedling water relations and soil-plant liquid flow resistance (Rs-p). Over the study period, bare-rooted and noninoculated seedlings exhibited midday values of leaf water potential (.PSI.) which were lower than container-grown and Pisolithus-inoculated seedlings. During a mild drought in July similar trends were seen in predawn .PSI.. Flow resistance between bulk soil and leaf was lower in container-grown and Pisolithus-inoculated plants than in bare-rooted and noninoculated plants; Rs-p was particularly high in bare-rooted plants which were not inoculated with Pisolithus. The exact mechanism(s) accounting for the differences in Rs-p of mycorrhizal vs. nonmycorrhizal plants could not be ascertained by the techniques employed. Low Rs-p in container-grown plants was associated with greater total root system length.

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