Post-establishment fertilization of Minnesota hybrid poplar plantations.
Experimental plantings were installed at five sites in three locations in western Minnesota. Aboveground biomass production increased 43-82% as a result of three annual applications of urea or balanced nutrient blend fertilizer beginning near canopy closure. There were no production differences between the type of fertilizer used, indicating that N was the major limiting nutrient. Responses were consistent from site to site, indicating that hybrid poplar stands in this region at this stage of development would be very responsive to fertilization. Leaf tissue N, P, and K concentrations increased in response to both fertilizer treatments; P and K increased more frequently in response to the blend treatment compared to the N-only urea treatment. The diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS) indices indicated that the stands were near optimal nutritional balance prior to fertilization. Treatments increased individual leaf area and leaf litter production up to 33% and 37%, respectively. Canopy leaf area, leaf N concentration and the sum of DRIS indices were correlated with aboveground production. Growth efficiency, the ratio of production to canopy leaf area, increased with both fertilizer treatment and successive years of treatment, indicating improved stand vigor due to nutrient amendments. Stand production increased more in response to changes in leaf N concentration as stands aged. Plantation production continued to increase with increased internal N concentration even when deficiency levels or levels defined as sufficient for fast growth were exceeded. The correlation between aboveground production and the sum of DRIS indices shows that optimal nutrition at canopy closure may result in current aboveground dry matter production exceeding 13Mgha-1 yr-1. Multiple small-dose amendments appear to be effective in increasing production by maintaining high internal N concentrations.
- Research Organization:
- USDA Forest Service-Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE EM Office of Program and Site Support (EM-50)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AI09-00SR22188
- OSTI ID:
- 1027500
- Report Number(s):
- 06-24-P; BMSBEO; na; TRN: US201121%%653
- Journal Information:
- Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 30, Issue 1; ISSN 0961-9534
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
BIOMASS
CLOSURES
DIAGNOSIS
EFFICIENCY
FERTILIZATION
FERTILIZERS
MINNESOTA
NUTRIENTS
NUTRITION
POPLARS
PRODUCTION
RECOMMENDATIONS
UREA
Biomass
DRIS
Forest tent caterpillar
Growth efficiency
Nutrient addition rate
Optimal nutrition
Short rotation woody crops
Urea