Effects of potassium treatment on the growth of black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold.) seedlings

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of potassium at different concentrations on the growth of black pine seedlings. The study was carried out with 1+0 black pine seedlings of Afyonkarahisar-Ah？rda？？ origin grown in polyethene container filled with perlite in Eski？ehir Forest Nursery. The seedlings were grown using different nutrient solutions with potassium concentrations of 0-23-35-47-100 and 150 ppm. Nutrient concentrations, root-collar diameter, height, root length, number of lateral roots, and dry weight of the seedlings were determined. Data were evaluated by ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test. According to results of the statistical analyses, potassium doses impacted on seedling height, root-collar diameter and number of lateral root. The tallest and the thickest seedlings were produced with 23 ppm potassium nutrition while the highest lateral roots with 100 ppm. As a result, it is possible to raise the afforestation success in arid and semi-arid regions by producing potassium-fed black pine seedlings with higher, thicker root-collar diameter and a higher number of lateral roots