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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2020

Liming increases early growth of poplars on forest sites with low soil pH

Bohlenius, Henrik; Nilsson, Urban; Salk, Carl

Abstract

Poplars are traditionally grown on former agricultural land but forest land holds great potential for poplar production as the available area is large. However, knowledge of how to establish poplars on forestland is poor. This study investigates how soil treatments (mix, patch and mound) and liming influence early growth of poplars during the first four years after planting. Our results suggest that soil treatments have a limited effect on survival or growth of newly-established plants compared to plots with no soil treatments. Liming increased plant survival at the fourth year and highly increased plant height and diameter growth when combined with either patch or mounding soil treatments. At these treatments, application of lime resulted in plant heights of 200 cm at experimental site Vinsasen or 150 cm at site Tonnersjoheden and compared to plots without lime growth is doubled These results suggest that poplar plantations on acid forest land should be established with both soil treatments and application of lime. These practices can enable poplar plantations on forest sites, increasing the available area for poplar plantations in the boreal/nemoral regions. Our findings also encourage further investigations of the production potential of poplar plantation on forestland and identification of genetic material suitable for forest sites.

Keywords

Poplar planting; Establishment; Acidic forestland; Liming; Soil treatments

Published in

Biomass and Bioenergy
2020, Volume: 138, article number: 105572
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD