CONTAINER SIZE ALTERS ROOT-GROWTH OF WESTERN BLACK-CHERRY AS MEASUREDVIA IMAGE-ANALYSIS

Microcuttings of three western black cherry (Prunus serotina var. vire ns Ehrh.) phenotypes obtained from seedling trees with profuse or scan t root systems were grown in two container sizes to examine the early effects of root constraint. Because manual methods to estimate root le ngth and other characteristics are time consuming and subjective, an i mage analysis hardware and software system (image capture and analysis system) was used to classify and measure the roots. There was a signi ficant effect of clone on fine-root surface area, coarse : fine root r atio, and root dry weight (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.05), but root cha racteristics (profuse or scant root development) of the parent materia l were absent in the vegetative propagules from these lines. Container size had no significant effect on coarse- or fine-root surface area b ut did reduce coarse : fine root ratio (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.05). A threshold effect of container size on root dry weight was detected (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.1).