Short-rotation management of Eucalyptus: Guidelines for plantations in Hawaii. Forest Service general technical report (Final)

Technical Report · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7110371

Whitesell, C D; DeBell, D S; Schubert, T H; Strand, R F; Crabb, T B

A 10-year research and development program was conducted on the island of Hawaii, where nearly 230,000 acres are suitable for growing biomass in short-rotation Eucalyptus plantations. Successful techniques are described for seedling production, plantation establishment (site preparation, weed control, planting), maintenance (weed control, fertilization), biomass yield estimation, and harvest. Basic biological relationships are described to aid decisions on site selection, initial spacing, fertilizer schedules, and rotation length. Environmental issues likely to be faced by growers of Eucalyptus plantations are discussed, including soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and monocultures. Continuing programs for tree improvement, monitoring, and silviculture research are recommeded. Production costs for biomass yields are estimated for three promising management regimes, representing pure Eucalyptus plantings at dense and wide spacings and a mixed species plantation where Albizia is used as a nurse crop to provide nitrogen needed for optimum Eucalyptus growth.

• Research Organization: Forest Service, Berkeley, CA (United States). Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station
• OSTI ID: 7110371
• Report Number(s): PB-94-188257/XAB; FSGTR-PSW--137
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090700* -- Biomass Fuels-- Resources-- (1990-)
093000 -- Biomass Fuels-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects-- (1990-)
COST
EUCALYPTUSES
FORESTS
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
MANAGEMENT
OPERATING COST
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
TREES