Planting cost, survival, and growth one to three years after establishing loblolly pine seedlings with straight, deformed, or pruned taproots

To provide an objective approach for comparing various planting methods likely to differ in cost, seedling performance, and cost efficiency, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings were dug-hole or slit planted with either straight, deformed, or pruned taproots, and planting rate (seconds per seedling) and three-year survival and growth of seedlings were measured. The per-hectare cost of dug-hole planting seedlings to ensure straight taproots ($273) was over five times that of slit planting seedlings with intentionally deformed or pruned taproots ($50). Although third-year pine survival did not differ significantly among treatments (74% to 87%), yield index was 58% higher for seedlings dug-hole planted with straight taproots (1152 dm^sup 3^ stem volume/ha) versus that for seedlings slit planted with deformed or pruned taproots (730 dm^sup 3^/ha). Third-year cost efficiency (yield index ÷ planting cost) of slit planted seedlings with deformed or pruned taproots (11.7 dm^sup 3^/$) was over three times that of dug-hole planted seedlings with straight taproots (3.5 dm^sup 3^/$). These short-term results suggest that the higher values of yield index resulting from straight-root planting do not justify its considerably greater cost.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]