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- Title
Diagnostic tools to evaluate the foliar nutrition and growth of hybrid poplars.
- Authors
Lteif, Arlette; Whalen, Joann K.; Bradley, Robert L.; Camiré, Claude
- Abstract
This 2-year study examined the effect of fertilizers on tree growth and foliar nutrition in a Populus trichocarpa Torr. & A. Gray × Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh. plantation located in southwestern Québec. The treatments included a control that did not receive N or P fertilizer, inorganic NP fertilizers, organic fertilizers applied at 65–70 kg N·ha–1, and organic fertilizers applied at 130–140 kg N·ha–1. Fertilized trees were taller and had larger diameters than control trees. Three methods were used to diagnose limiting nutrients and nutrient imbalances, and compare the nutrient supply from different fertilizer sources. The critical value approach and the compositional nutrient diagnosis methods found below-optimum N and P concentrations, sufficient K and Mg concentrations, and an excessive Ca concentration in foliage. Vector analysis compared the N nutrition in foliage from fertilized trees and the control trees. The compositional nutrient diagnosis r2 (nutrient imbalance index) was negatively correlated with annual tree growth in height (r = –0.46, P < 0.05) and diameter (r = –0.59, P < 0.05), meaning that trees with a greater nutrient imbalance grew less in height and diameter than trees with balanced foliar nutrition. Of these diagnostic methods, compositional nutrient diagnosis holds promise for identifying nutrient limitations and predicting growth responses to fertilization in hybrid poplar plantations.
- Subjects
POPLARS; ORGANIC fertilizers; TREE growth; FERTILIZERS; TREES; FOLIAGE plants; PLANTATIONS
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2008, Vol 38, Issue 8, p2138
- ISSN
0045-5067
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1139/X08-069