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A review of ecophysiologically-based seedling specifications for temperate Australian eucalypt plantations
Citation
Close, DC, A review of ecophysiologically-based seedling specifications for temperate Australian eucalypt plantations, New Forests, 43, (5-6) pp. 739-753. ISSN 0169-4286 (2012) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012
DOI: doi:10.1007/s11056-012-9321-0
Abstract
The Australian hardwood plantation estate has significantly expanded in the last
decade. Key production issues included: (1) will Eucalyptus nitens Maiden seedlings produced
in nurseries on relatively mild sites be susceptible to transplant shock and browsing on
cold out-planting sites and can this be managed? And; (2) what specifications should be
required of nursery producers for Eucalyptus globulus Labill seedlings for out-planting on
mild ex-pasture sites? This review outlines the research conducted in order to address these
key questions. Nitrogen deprivation in the nursery induced accumulation of foliar anthocyanin
which conferred hardiness to low temperature. Target specifications of 8每10 g/kg
foliar nitrogen are recommended. Height of >120 mm, root collar diameter >2.8 mm,
seedling container volume of ≡85 cm3, depth of ≡73 mm, density of ≡549 cells/m2 and
foliar nitrogen concentration of 15每20 g/kg were found to be key specifications for optimal
E. globulus growth following planting onto mild ex-pasture sites. Exponential nutrient
loading was a useful technique for attaining target foliar N concentrations. Seedling size was
found not to affect growth of E. globulus post-planting on mild ex-pasture sites. However,
large seedlings were preferentially browsed on high vertebrate-browse-pressure sites in
Tasmania (poisons are banned and shooting is not effective on some sites) that did not affect
subsequent growth rate but did increase the incidence of double-leaders. The &target seedling
concept* is applicable to eucalypts for Australian planting sites: specifications attained in the
nursery should be matched to the factors limiting growth on the planting sites.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | anthocyanin, Eucalyptus, specification, hardiness, browsing |
Research Division: | Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences |
Research Group: | Horticultural production |
Research Field: | Horticultural crop growth and development |
Objective Division: | Plant Production and Plant Primary Products |
Objective Group: | Forestry |
Objective Field: | Hardwood plantations |
UTAS Author: | Close, DC (Professor Dugald Close) |
ID Code: | 80718 |
Year Published: | 2012 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 9 |
Deposited By: | Agricultural Science |
Deposited On: | 2012-11-08 |
Last Modified: | 2015-06-25 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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