DEFINITION THE CAPABILITY OF MOUNTAIN PINE FOR PRAPAGATION IN THE PLANTATIONS ( CENTRAL PART OF RUSSIA)

Abstract

Introduction. Mountain pine is not widely used in the zone of mixed coniferous-broad leaved forests of Russia. It is explained with no adapted planting material due to lack of information about the capability for propagation of mountain pine in plantations.  The goal of the research is to determine the capability for propagation of mountain pone in plantations in the zone of mixed coniferous-broad leaved forests (Russia). The following problems were set in the article: 1) to assess the natural regeneration of mountain pine; 2) to determine the  pathological mortality of mountain pine when  artificial planting; 3) to define the  linear parameters of seedlings; 4) to assess the biomass of seedlings. Objects and methods of research. Three taxons of mountain pine (P. mugo var. pumilio, P. mugo var. mughus, and P. Mugo) of Botanic Garden-Institute (Volga State University of Technology) were studied.  Prior sowing, the seeds were put in weak solution of KMnO₄ for 12 hours to disinfect the seeds and to improve the stability of seedlings. Then, the seeds were stratified in the snow for two months. The seedlings were growing in open ground (two years) and in a greenhouse (one year). The greenhouse seedlings were grown in Plantek 81F containers. When monitoring the seeds, an assessment for infestation was made and biometric parameters of seedlings were recorded. Results. There was no natural regeneration in all the studied taxons. A possible reason is the mortality of seedlings (43,1 % on the field and 10% under coverage) due to infestation  of seeds and strong competition with the local species. Pathological morality of P. Mugo var. Pumilio was more than 50 %. At that, P. Mugo var. Pumilio seedlings were constantly treated with fungicides. Pathological morality of P. Mugo var. mughus and P. mugo in the same conditions is much lower. The weight of the containerized seedlings is 1,7 times higher than the weight of bare-rooted seedlings. Significant difference (in 2,1–2,2 times) was found in the weight of stipitates and  rootlets. The analysis of biometric parameters indicated that P. Mugo var. pumilio grew slower in comparison with other examined pines. Taxon P. mugo grows intensively both in height of stipitates and in the diameter of root collar. No significant difference in length of roots was revealed. Conclusion. High level of adaptation of the introduced taxons of mountain pine to the conditions of mixed coniferous-broad leaved forest was found. The artificially sowed seeds of local origin showed high efficiency. When growing the containerized seedlings, their mortality decreases in 4,4 times. One-year containerized seedlings of a greenhouse are 1,6 times larger than 2-year seedlings of  open ground by linear parameters and 1,7 times larger by weight. P. mugo var. Pumilio taxon showed the lowest biometric parameters, P. mugo taxon showed the highest biometric parameters. Thus, it is very promising for using the seeds of local origin to grow the containerized seedling of mountain pine in greenhouses.