Effects of different growth media on morphological characters of container-grown seedlings of scotch-pine and birch

This study was designed to investigate the influence of growth media based on peat (P), perlite (T) and zeolite (Z) on morphological attributes of container-grown seedlings of Pinus sylvestris and Betula pendula. Thirty seedlings with three replications from each treatment after the first growing season were destructively harvested and a variety of morphological traits measured in both species. Growing media P. sylvestris seedlings did not significantly affect root collar diameter and number of roots but other morphological parameters differed significantly with growing medium types. Root dry weight was the highest in the growing media of peat, but shoot dry weight was not significantly affected by zeolite additive media. Growing media did not significantly affect root collar diameter of 1+0 B. pendula seedlings. The maximum value of the seedling height was observed in P, P+T+Z (7:1:2) and T+Z (9:1) medium. Zeolite added to mixtures of growing media did nor reduce dry weight of the seedlings and only root dry weight and shoot dry weight were lower in P+T+Z (8:1:1). In conclusion, zeolite from Turkey can be used as an additive material in the propagation of containerized P. sylvestris and B. pendula seedlings. Since Turkey has 45.8 billions of zeolite potential, using zeolite in container tree nurseries in Turkey may reduce the costs significantly. In order to be able to make a better assessment in order to use zeolit as an additive growing medium, the performance and growth of the seedlings should be observed in field for at least 3-5 years.