The Effect of Stimulants on the Seed Germination and Growth of Schrenk's Spruce Seedlings

Abstract

Improving the agricultural technology of growing the planting material remains an urgent task and resolving it requires introducing modern scientific achievements in nursery production, such as the use of growth stimulants. Numerous studies have revealed a positive effect of growth stimulants on the seed germination and growth of seedlings of coniferous species. The study was aimed at studying the effects of stimulants and fungicides on the accelerated growth of Schrenk's spruce seedlings in protected and open soil. For the study, the Soldatsay forest nursery in the Talgar district of the Almaty region located on the lower part of the northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau was chosen. The methods of the research study included analyzing the information in the scientific literature about cultivating the planting material in greenhouse and nursery complexes and the use of modern growth regulators. In solving the tasks set, the common scientific methods were used, including the methods of experiment and analysis. The obtained data were processed using the methods of mathematical statistics. In this study, the authors used the following modern preparations of growth stimulators for Schrenk's spruce: Gumi-K, Phytobacirin and the Belarusian technology of growing in cassettes. For dosing, the authors used a Korean sprayer for coniferous trees Deltaspray. The authors conclude that all used preparations showed good efficiency in the pre-sowing treatment of the seeds, both in the open soil and in the greenhouse conditions. The use of complementary agricultural practices in the cultivation of spruce seedlings, including the root and foliar feeding of the seedlings with the Deltaspray solution, improves the quality of planting material, i.e., increases the weight of the above-ground part and improves its ratio to the weight of fine roots. With that, the period of growing standard spruce seedlings is reduced by one year.