08/01/05 Research on blue spruce, ponderosa pine

Idaho is one of the leading growers of blue spruce trees. That's why the University of Idaho is doing research work on holding trees. Horticulture professor John Lloyd says there are problems in holding trees before they go to someone's yard, be it bare root, in containers or ball and bale. LLOYD "So what we have been looking at are different kinds of fertilizers, organic matter, materials that can actually provide nutrients to the trees that will actually help them survive once their planted into the landscape." They have some promising results but it may be another year before they finish their research work on the blue spruce. While all of that is going on other U of I researchers are working on ponderosa pines. They're looking at different nutrition levels to see what influence it has on the trees ability to fight off disease, insects and even fire. LLOYD "And then see how trees survive drought or handle drought or handle pest resistance and in the end we're going to have a big bonfire and see how they handle flammability." Some time off this week for an interim legislative committee on property taxation. The committee heard from hundreds of taxpayers at four public meetings in north Idaho last week. Next week hearings will be held in Hailey, Twin Falls, Pocatello and Rexburg. A lot of people are concerned with the huge increase in their property taxes in recent years. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott