containerized seedlings

Arkansas Forestry Association 2011 Annual Meeting

Containerized Seedlings:Delivering Performance

International Forest Company

Who is International Forest Company• Oldest and Largest Producer of Containerized Seedlings

– 29 years of seedling growing – Over 50 million seedlings grown in 2011-2012– Longleaf, Loblolly, Slash, Shortleaf and Virginia Pine

• Experienced Staff• Nursery Expansion in 2011• QC/QA Program• CMP Program for the Western Regions• Largest Producer of Varietal Seedlings (CellFor)


Container Nursery


Historical Container Production

• 2005 – 2006: 36,300,000

• 2006 – 2007: 64,359,000

• 2007 – 2008: 69,401,000

• 2008 – 2009: 124,697,000

• 2009 – 2010: 132,000,000


Planning and Ordering Timeline

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Ordering Window /→ →/

Sowing

Growing

Drought Hardening

Cold Hardening and Storage

Planting Window

Ordering and Planting Timeline - Pine (Pinus sp. )Year 2Year 1

= Ideal Order Time for Best Genetic Availability


128L Tray120S Tray

Custom Designed Trays


Precision Vacuum Seed SowerInternational Forest Company

Longleaf Germination Under Shade Cloth


Full Trays – Loblolly GerminationInternational Forest Company

Pivot Irrigation System

• Uniform Irrigation

• Control Water Flow/Pivot Speed

• Crop Uniformity

• Easy Management

• Air Flow – Root Pruning

• Fertigation System


• Increased crop uniformity

• Increased conversion rate

• Increased seedling quality

• Control Root:Shoot ratio

• Increased root development

Top Pruning


Integrated Pest Management Program


Uniform Seedlings and Seedling Counts


Packaged Loblolly Seedlings – plastic lined/wax coated boxes lead to longer storability


• Experience in seedling delivery

• Extensive network allows for fast turn around

• Boxes are palletized and

wrapped

• Corners added for stability

Shipping Logistics


• Containerized - 6 to 8 week storage time

• Bare root - 2 to 4 week storage time

• Containerized still maintain higher survival than bare root even with extended storage

• Increased flexibility with planting schedules

Extended Storage


Planting Window


Ordering Window

Sowing

Growing

Drought Hardening


Planting Window

Ordering and Planting Timeline - Pine (Pinus sp. )Year 2Year 1

• Container Window – September to May

• Bareroot Window – December to March


Ordering Window

Sowing

Growing

Drought Hardening


Planting Window /→ →/


Entire Root System is Outplanted• Elimination of root damage during lifting and packing

(fine roots and mycorrhizae remain intact)

• Uniform moisture surrounding roots throughout plug

• Eliminate occurrence of J-Rooting at outplanting


Containerized Stock

• Eliminates need to root prune by planting crew


Machine or Hand Plantable



Cost of Planting Containerized

Seedlings


Forest Landowners Magazine – Sept/Oct 2009

• 2008 – 2009 Planting Season– Rebecca Barlow, Matthew Smidt, Jennifer Morse and Mark Dubois

• Bare root Loblolly pine - Hand Planting, Cutover Land– $56.18/acre with 598 seedlings/acre

• Bare root Pine – Hand Planting, Cutover Land– $56.46/acre with 593 seedlings/acre

• Containerized Longleaf – Hand Planting, Cutover Land– $41.97/acre with 603 seedlings/acre

• Containerized Longleaf – Hand Planting, Cutover Land– $46.59/acre with 609 seedlings/acre

• Note – does not include cost of seedlings23

Cost per acre

Bareroot $.05per seedling $.08 per seedling

Spacing Trees/AC Seedling Cost Planting Cost Total cost /Acre12 ft. X 5 ft. 726 $36.30 $58.08 $94.38

12 ft. X 6 ft. 605 $30.25 $48.40 $78.65

Container $0.13 $.08 per seedling12 ft. X 6 ft. 605 $78.65 $48.40 $127.0512 ft. X 8 ft. 454 $59.02 $36.32 $95.34

Container CMP $.23 per seedling $.08 per seedling12 ft. X 8 ft. 454 $104.42 $36.32 $140.7412 ft. X 9 ft. 403 $92.69 $32.24 $124.93

Container CellFor Elite $.47 per seedling $.08 per seedling12 ft. X 8 ft. 454 $213.38 $36.32 $249.7012 ft. X 9 ft. 403 $189.41 $32.24 $221.6514 ft. X 8 ft. 389 $182.83 $31.12 $213.9516 ft. X 8 ft. 340 $159.80 $27.20 $187.00



Understanding Genetics and Tree

Improvement


International Forest Company – Research Cooperatives and Genetic Information

• Members of several university based cooperatives– NC State Tree Improvement– NC State Forest Productivity – Western Gulf Tree Improvement– Auburn Southern Forestry Nursery Cooperative

• Elite Genetics– 1st Generation– 2nd Generation– 3rd Generation– CMP– Varietals

• Leased Orchards – best families available• Orchard/Breeding Contracts – best available genetics• Partnerships – seed purchases


Rationale: Genetic GAINVarious Levels of Genetic Gain Available

Unrogued Orchard

Rogued Orchard

Single Family Blocks

C M P

Varietals

0 10 20 30 40 50

% gainInternational Forest Company

International Forest Company and the Arkansas Forest Landowners


Arkansas Forestry Commission Partnership

• Seed Partnership – Arkansas Seed Source – Loblolly Pine– Shortleaf Pine

• Seedling Partnership – IFCO provides containerized Shortleaf Pine

• Pollen Collection – CMP Program– Advanced Genetics for Arkansas Landowners


Additional Benefits IFCO Provides for Arkansas Landowners

• Member of the WGTIP– Access to genetic information– Access to elite seed– Access to expertise in the Western Gulf Region

• Partnerships with large Landowners in AR– Deltic– U S Forest Service

• Ability and desire to service all levels of landowners in AR



To The Field


Published findings: Impact of containerized seedlings on plantation survivalBlazier, Michael A.; Dunn, Michael (2008) Stock Type, Subsoiling, and Density Impact Productivity and Land Value of a Droughty Site. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, Volume 32, Number 4, November 2008 , pp. 154-162(9)


1994 1998 2001 2003 200540%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Containerized

Bareroot

% S

urvi

val


Planting Date Demo


Increased Growth and Survival with Summer/Fall Planting

August Planted November Planted


0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Aug Sept Oct Nov

Height ft

Container Loblolly Summer/Fall Planting

Age 2 Data


Container Loblolly Outplanted August 23 – Photo Taken October 21


Langdale Property Test PlantingPurpose of StudyCompare early August planted container seedlings to winter planted bareroot using different chemical treatments

Study Design1. All plots were bedded.2. Treatments were as follows: A. Chopper applied on beds ahead of planting B. DAP impregnated with Velpar was applied after planting C. Control was bedding only3. Container Seedlings planted August 21, 2000.4. Bareroot Seedlings planted during winter 2000-2001.5. Three rows of 20 seedlings each were planted of each container and bareroot of each species of Loblolly, Slash, and Longleaf.6. Only the middle row of 20 seedlings were measured.7. Container seedlings were planted 2 weeks after chopper application and seedlings showed poor to no root growth 60 days after planting. This had some impact on survival in chopper treatments with container seedlings.8. As evidenced by controls, both chemical treatments affected survival.



First Growing Season


Outplanted Containerized Loblolly 1 Year Old Test Plot


05

1015

2025

3035

4045

50

Pre Spray Post Spray Control

Cont. Lob Bareroot Lob

Seedling Height (inches)

1 Year Test Plot


Age 3 Measurement

Control

Survival (%) Avg GLD (inches)

Avg Height (Ft)

Volume (Cubic inches)

Container Loblolly 90% 2.23 8.78 137.2

Bareroot Loblolly 75% 1.79 7.77 78.2


Age 3 Measurement

Pre-Treat Herbicide

Survival (%) Avg GLD (inches) Avg Height (Ft)Volume

(Cubic inches)

Container Loblolly 85% 4.23 15.63 878.6

Bareroot Loblolly 85% 3.49 13.80 528.1


Age 3 Height Comparison – Loblolly Pine Containerized Bareroot



Shortleaf Pine



29

30 International Forest Company

Examples from the Field

3 year-old Container Planting -

USFS


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What Can We Do For You?

International Forest Companywww.interforestry.com


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