Influence of schungite-containing fertilizer on the growth of planting material of northern white cedar

The use of carbon-containing ameliorants, which have been successfully tested in a number of crops and in gardening, has recently begun to find application in the cultivation of forest species. The aim of the work was to study the effect of the schungite-containing materials on the growth of the planting material of northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.). The experiments were carried out under the conditions of a summer-type greenhouse. One year old seedlings of northern white-cedar were planted into containers and grown during one growing season on a substrate with the addition of shungite-containing material and without such additive. As a substratum, peat nutrient substrate of the peat enterprise “Pelgorskoe-M” (Leningrad Oblast) was used. It was made from peat moss of low degree of decomposition mined by the milling method. Limestone flour is used to neutralize peat. Enrichment of peat with nutrients was carried out by introducing a complex fertilizer with prolonged action. As a schungite-containing material, the fertilizer “ShungiTerra” was used. It is made from quartz-albite-chlorite schungite-bearing rocks of the Turastamozerskoye field (Republic of Karelia). As evidenced by the data obtained, the growth in height increased twofold. More great difference is observed if we compare the mass of the aboveg- round part – almost three times. The most significant increase is observed in indicator of the “mass of the root system” – more than three and a half times. There is also an improvement in the ratio of the mass of the aboveground and underground parts of the seedlings. The saplings were obtained with a more developed root system, which increases their resistance. The increase in the mass of the root system naturally correlates positively with the increase in the length of the root system. In general, the application of the “ShungiTerra” fertilizer in the cultivation of the north- ern white-cedar planting stock gives a significant increase to all the indicators studied.