Hardwood Seedling Morphology and Physiology

Physiology

Physiological characteristics, such as dormancy status, root growth potential, nutrient levels, and carbohydrate storage are important in determining hardwood seedling quality. Physiological quality is much more difficult to assess than morphological quality. One physiological problem that isn’t difficult to assess is when a seedling is “breaking bud” (growing leaves) before planting.

The leaves indicate that the seedling is not dormant and could die or grow poorly when exposed to the shock of storage and planting. Abundant mold indicates that seedlings may have been stored too wet or for too long. These conditions may reduce vigor. A fermented or sour smell when a bag of seedlings is opened may indicate that seedlings were exposed to excessive moisture during shipping and may be physiologically damaged.

Seedlings that appear to be very dry after delivery probably were stored with inadequate moisture or were stored too long. It is especially critical that the root stems remain moist until just before planting; otherwise, roots may die or quit functioning after planting.