HOW TO IDENTIFY BUD INITIATION AND COUNT NEEDLE PRIMORDIA IN 1ST-YEARSPRUCE SEEDLINGS

Bud initiation and subsequent bud development are key steps in the nur sery production of first-year temperate spruce seedlings for reforesta tion. An understanding of the bud initiation and development processes and monitoring methods are of vital importance to both tree seedling nursery workers and foresters. A review of bud morphology and the bud development process is given for spruce seedlings. The equipment requi red and techniques used in the determination of bud initiation, and es timation of the number of needle primordia are presented. When properl y applied, the examination of spruce buds forms a cornerstone for succ essful nursery management using extended greenhouse culture.