Influence of Container Type and Growth Medium on Seedling Growth and Root Morphology of Cyclocarya paliurus during Nursery Culture

As a multiple function tree species, Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal) Iljinskaja is mainly planted and managed for timber production and medical use. To improve the seed use efficiency and outplanting performance of C. paliurus, the effects of container types and growth medium on the seedling growth and root morphology of C. paliurus were investigated by using a completely randomized block experimental design with a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement during nursery culture. Both container type and growth medium significantly affected the growth, biomass, and root morphological indexes of C. paliurus seedlings, but container size had a greater effect on the seedling quality of C. paliurus than the growth medium formula. The root-collar diameter and height of the seedlings were positively and significantly correlated with the biomass variables and root morphological variables, and could be considered essential attributes for evaluating seedling quality. Based on the results from this study, the management regime used here in C. paliurus seedling production is suggested to ensure good quality seedling delivery. Our study provides not only valuable insights into the container seedling culture of C. paliurus, it also enables nursery managers to optimize seedling production.