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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Growth and nutritional status of young plants
of Eucalyptus were assessed in a field trial, under different
scenarios of harvest residue management and nutrient
availability. Treatments were as follows: incorporation of
harvest residues into the soil by harrowing (I); I with N
fertiliser application (IF); I with leguminous, Lupinus
luteus L., seeding (IL); removal of harvest residues (R); R
with N fertiliser application (RF); R with leguminous
seeding (RL); distribution of harvest residues on the soil
surface (S); S with N fertiliser application (SF). Treatments
were replicated four times in four blocks with a fully
randomised design. Tree growth (height and diameter at
breast height) was measured and understory biomass
destructively recorded. Tree nutritional status was assessed
by foliar analysis (N, Ca, Mg, P, K and leaf area). Significant
differences in growth between I, R and S treatments
were only detected at early stage. Intercropping with
Lupinus decreased tree growth during the early phase, but
after 5 years growth was similar to that measured in the I
and R treatments. Application of fertiliser enhanced tree
growth especially when harvest residues were retained on
the soil surface. Combining incorporation of harvest residues
with fertiliser application (IF) was the best option to
increase tree growth, which was significantly greater than
in the R and S. Initially, leaf N was positively affected by
the leguminous (RL and IL), but, after the first fertiliser
application (1 year after planting), greater N was observed in the IF, RF and SF, the difference decreasing gradually
over the following years
Description
Keywords
tree growth soil legumes nutrition status SPAD Eucalyptus
Pedagogical Context
Citation
"European Journal of Forest Research". ISSN 1612-4669. 129 (2010) 591-601