The High Cost of the Low-Cost Polybag System: A Review of Nursery Seedling Production Systems

Diane L. Haase, Karma Bouzza, Lucy Emerton, James B. Friday, Becca Lieberg, Arnulfo Aldrete and Anthony S. Davis
Additional contact information
Diane L. Haase: Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetic Resources, USDA Forest Service, Portland, OR 97204, USA
Karma Bouzza: Independent Researcher, Beirut, Lebanon
Lucy Emerton: Environmental Economics and Finance, Environment Management Group, Cambridge CB3 9EG, UK
James B. Friday: College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
Becca Lieberg: Independent Researcher, Rebecca Lieberg Consulting, Virgin, UT 84779, USA
Arnulfo Aldrete: Department of Forestry, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco 56230, Mexico
Anthony S. Davis: College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: An important strategy for meeting global landscape restoration goals is nursery production of high-quality seedlings. Growing seedlings with attributes that promote post-planting survival and growth can be dramatically influenced by the nursery container system. In many countries, nurseries produce seedlings in polybags filled with excavated soil. These seedlings often develop deformed roots with limited fibrosity which can lead to poor survival and growth after outplanting. Polybags are initially inexpensive but using these single-use plastic containers accrues expenses that are often untracked. Comparisons among nursery production systems must account for factors such as container longevity, labor efficiency, and seedling field performance. A more holistic approach to account for environmental, economic, social, logistic, and cultural elements in the cost–benefit equation that influences nursery production systems is needed. Converting to a modern container system requires concomitant adjustments in nursery scheduling and culturing matched to the new stock type. Doing so provides an opportunity to align nursery production techniques and resulting seedling attributes with anticipated field conditions. This article describes and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of nursery production systems and provides recommendations and case studies to aid nurseries in improving seedling quality toward meeting restoration goals in a cost-effective and timely manner.

Keywords: seedling quality; landscape restoration; cost-effective reforestation; target plant concept (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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