Sixth International Christmas Tree Research & Extension Conference September 14 - 19, 2003 Kanuga Conference Center Hendersonville, NC Proceedings Hosted by North Carolina State University CONFERENCE SPONSORS Cellfor Inc. Mitchell County Christmas Tree Growers and Nurserymen's Association Avery County East Carolina University – Christmas Tree & Nurserymen's Association Department of Biology Monsanto – Makers of Roundup Agricultural Herbicides North Carolina State University – Ashe County Christmas Tree Association Christmas Tree Genetics Program College of Natural Resources North Carolina Christmas Tree Association Eastern North Carolina Christmas Tree Association North Carolina Forest Service Avery County Cooperative Extension Service Center and Master Gardeners North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia Proceedings of the 6th International Christmas Tree Research & Extension Conference September 14 - 19, 2003 Kanuga Conference Center Hendersonville, NC Hosted by North Carolina State University John Frampton, Organizer and Editor Forward During September 2003, North Carolina State University hosted the 6th International Christmas Tree Research and Extension Conference. This conference was the latest in the following sequence: Date Host Organization Location Country October Washington State Puyallup, USA 1987 University Washington August Oregon State Corvallis, Oregon USA 1989 University October Silver Fall State Silver Falls, Oregon USA 1992 Park September Cowichan Lake Mesachie Lake, Canada 1997 Research Station British Columbia July/August Danish Forest and Vissenbjerg Denmark 2000 Landscape Research Institute The conference started September 14th with indoor presentations and posters at the Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, N.C., and ended September 18th in Boone following a 1½ day field trip. The conference provided a forum for the exchange of scientific research results concerning various aspects of Christmas tree production and marketing. The 74 attendees represented 12 states as well as Canada (5), Denmark (9), Norway (2) and South Africa (1). Most attendees were professionals who support the Christmas tree industry. The wooded seclusion of the Kanuga Conference Center provided an ideal setting for the conference. The 35 talks and 27 posters were presented in the Balthis-Rodwell Building, but a favorite location for socializing and informal exchanges of ideas during breaks was the lounge’s rocking chair porch with its view of Kanuga Lake. Attendees lodged in the rustic comfort of cottages with living rooms and were spoiled by good food and unlimited servings at the dining hall. On the evening of September 16th, Gary Chastagner led a roundtable discussion on issues facing Christmas tree research and extension. Among the topics of discussion was the erosion of funding within the Cooperative Extension Service and from state appropriations. This predicament has been worsened by the recent decline in the use of real Christmas trees. A need to better understand Christmas tree markets and anticipate customer preferences was recognized. A related topic discussed was the need in the United States to develop a national research team to help identify and coordinate Christmas tree research on issues that have country-wide impact such as developing market strategies, improving convenience and addressing environmental concerns. Such a committee could help provide the National Christmas Tree Association with guidance on allocating resources from its recently established research endowment fund. Many in the group expressed a feeling of isolation with respect to Christmas tree colleagues and information. The group agreed that holding this conference biennially and that alternating hosts between North America and Europe would be beneficial. One hundred percent of attendees returning evaluation forms agreed that they gained valuable knowledge at the conference. And, perhaps equally important to the information learned at this meeting were new contacts made. Each of us left the conference with new friends and an expanded network of experts to call on, not to mention a head full of new ideas and approaches. The 7th International Christmas Tree Research and Extension Conference will be hosted by Michigan State University in 2005. I, for one, am looking forward to it. John Frampton Conference Organizer and Proceedings Editor Proceedings papers, abstracts and posters were submitted by the authors as electronic files. Format modifications were made for consistency in appearance and placement of figures and tables. Technical content remains the responsibility of the respective author(s). Copies of this publication may be obtained from: The National Technical Information Service Springfield, Virginia 22161 Phone: 703-605-6000 www.ntis.gov Table of Contents Oral Presentations .............................................................................................. 1 Christmas Tree Research and Extension – an Overview for North Carolina ............... 2 Propagation & Genetics ..................................................................................... 3 Breaking Dormancy in Tree Seeds, with Special Reference to Fir (Abies) Species ..... 4 Clonal Propagation of Christmas Trees through Somatic Embryogenesis, Why and How? ...................................................................................................................... 5 Cloning Abies Research and Commercial Possibilities. ............................................. 12 In vitro Plant Regeneration and Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated Transformation in Christmas Trees ............................................................................................... 13 Noble Fir Current Season Needle Necrosis in Denmark – Status for Genetic Variation and Effect of Site ................................................................................................. 17 Genetic Improvement of Virginia Pine for Christmas Tree Production ..................... 18 Genetic Variation in Fraser Fir ................................................................................... 19 Diseases .............................................................................................................. 20 Christmas Tree Diseases in Norway ........................................................................... 21 Managing Rhabdocline Needlecast on Douglas-fir in Pennsylvania .......................... 22 Heterobasidion annosum associated with Mortality of Christmas Trees in the Pacific Northwest ............................................................................................................. 26 Phytophthora Root Rot of Fir in Michigan ................................................................. 27 Phytophthora Root Rot Mortality in Fraser Fir: Genetic Variation in an Infested Progeny Test ........................................................................................................ 32 Susceptibility of Conifer Shoots to Infection by Phytophthora ramorum .................. 33 Arthropods & Weeds ........................................................................................ 34 The Di-Syston Project: Development of a Hand Operated Metered Closed System Applicator For Christmas Tree Producers in Western North Carolina ................ 35 Arthropod Pest Management in Christmas Trees in the Pacific Northwest ............... 41 Pest Management Control in Christmas Trees Grown in the Southern Appalachians 42 Achieving Results Through On Farm Research, A Case Study: Impact of Round-Up Original Applications on Fraser fir Foliage during Early Shoot Elongation ...... 51 Responses of Christmas Tree Species and Selected Weeds to Herbicides ................. 56 Nutrition ............................................................................................................. 57 Growing Christmas Tree with Reduced Environmental Impact from Fertilization: Alternative Fertilizers and Split Treatments ........................................................ 58 Growing Christmas Tree with Reduced Environmental Impact from Fertilization: Alternative Methods for Fertilizer Application ................................................... 60 Manganese Deficiency in Colorado Blue Spruce ....................................................... 61 Production ......................................................................................................... 62 Changes in Soil Physical Conditions Over Multiple Christmas Tree Cropping Cycles ............................................................................................................................. 63 Triazine and Mycorrhizae Observations over Multiple Christmas Tree Cropping Cycles .................................................................................................................. 72 Soil and Needle Nutrient Changes over Christmas Tree Cropping Cycles ................ 78 Evaluating the Potential of Abies Species in Eastern North Carolina ........................ 89 Shearing Fraser Fir Christmas Trees........................................................................... 90 Scotch Pine Shearing Regimes - Tree Grade Relationships ....................................... 92 Bud Manipulation as a Tool for Regulation of Crown Structure in Young Trees ...... 93 Terminal Bud Selection in Fraser Fir Christmas Trees .............................................. 96 The Dynamics of Labor in North Carolina’s Christmas