Effect of propagation and nursery container type on root attributes eight months after planting 57 L container root ball into landscape soil.
| Propagation container (liner)z | Nursery container typez | No. radiating straight roots trunk to position of 57 L container wally | No. radiating straight roots trunk to beyond 57 L positionx | % five largest roots that grew into soilw | % circumference circled inside position of 57 L container wallv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP | PC | 9 au | 11 a | 54 a | 20 c |
| SC | 6 b | 10 a | 36 b | 47 b | |
| SM | PC | 9 a | 13 a | 56 a | 15 d |
| SC | 3 c | 4 b | 18 c | 78 a |
↵z Trees seeded into either Ellepot (EP) or smooth-sided container (SM) then into either porous- (PC) or solid-walled (SC) 3.8 L then 9.5 L nursery containers prior to shifting into 57 L solid-walled containers, then planted into landscape soil.
↵y Number of roots >3 mm diameter measured 5 cm inside the position of the 57 L container wall that grew from trunk at <45 degree angle to substrate surface without making a turn of >60 degrees relative to parent root azimuth at trunk.
↵x Number of roots >3 mm diameter measured 5 cm beyond the position of the 57 L container wall that grew from trunk at <45 degree angle to substrate surface without making a turn of >60 degrees relative to parent root azimuth at trunk.
↵w Percent of the five largest diameter roots (diameter measured just beyond root collar) that grew beyond the periphery of the 57 L container position following the largest root at forks.
↵v Percent trunk circumference circled with roots >5 mm diameter from either propagation container, 3.8, and/or 9.5 L container position.
↵u Means in a column with a different letter are statistically different at P < 0.04; n = 10, averaged across root pruning at landscape planting due to insignificant interactions.