EFFECT OF NURSERY CULTURE ON MORPHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN HEMLOCK SEEDLINGS DURING FIELD ESTABLISHMENT .1. FLUSHING, SHOOT ELONGATION, AND BUD DEVELOPMENT

Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) seedlings grown in t wo different container cavity sizes that received four different dorma ncy induction treatments, short (SD) or long days (LD), in combination with moisture stress (D) or no moisture stress (W), in the greenhouse , and lifted and placed in cold storage (November, January, or March) were planted on two adjacent coastal reforestation sites on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and monitored for phenological responses dur ing the first growing season. The SD seedlings flushed sooner and bega n bud development later than the LD seedlings, although the effect on flushing was small for those lifted in March. Moisture stress and SD t ogether in the greenhouse reduced shoot elongation rates but had littl e impact on field bud development. Cold storage of seedlings lifted in November and January delayed flushing, reduced shoot elongation rates , and advanced bud development compared with the March-lifted stock. T he influence of cavity size was generally small on most variables meas ured. Shoot elongation was slightly faster on the southeast site than on the northwest site, whereas bud development was more rapid on the n orthwest site. The effect of site on date of flushing varied with nurs ery treatment.