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Needle clipping retards growth of planted longleaf pine

Formally Refereed

Abstract

Clipping the needles of longleaf pine seedlings immediately before planting reduced vigor and rate of early growth in three tests conducted in central Louisiana. Survival was unaffected in two tests, but was reduced in the third when seedlings encountered an early summer drought. The tests were part of a series whose purpose was to find ways of increasing long leaf survival, which is usually erratic and often low. Earlier work had shown that needle clipping reduces initial mortality on droughty sites.

Citation

Derr, H. J. 1963. Needle clipping retards growth of planted longleaf pine. Washington, DC: USDA Forest Service. 31-33.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/64054