Effects of thinning on some morphological characteristics of sessile oak seedlings in the nursery

In this study, effect of sowing demity on the effects of different sowing demities on some morphological quality characteristics of 1+0 year old Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea subsp. iberica) seedlings was studied. The seeds were sown in seedbeds and pots under open field conditions at Ardanuç Forest Nursery, Artvin. Four different sowing demity (7.5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm and control) were tried in the nursery seedbeds. The statistical design was a randomized complete block design with three replications. Seedling height, root collar diameter, fresh root weight, dry root weight, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, seedling height/root collar diameter and sturdiness were assessed on the seedlings.The sowing demity affected some seedling morphological characteristics of 1+0 year old seedlings. While the best seedling heigh, root collar diameter, fresh root weight, dry root weight, fresh shoot weight and dry shoot weight obtained from the seedlings which were grown using 15 cm thinning space, the lowest values obtained from control seedlings. Moreover, the highest fresh shoot weight/fresh root weight and dry shoot weight/ dry root weight ratios were determined from the seedlings were grown in pots and, the lowest values were ascertained from bare root seedlings which had 7.5 cm spacing between the plants.Key Words: Sessile oak, seedling, quality, thinning, Quercus petraea subsp. iberica