Thinned Loblolly Pine Stand Growth Improved by Early Hardwood Suppression

1991 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-27
Author(s):  
Terry R. Clason

Abstract A hardwood suppression treatment applied to a 7-year-old, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation enhanced projected productivity through a 35-year rotation that included three commercial thinnings. By age 22, growth data showed that hardwood removal treatments had larger pines and smaller hardwoods than check treatments. Fifteen-year pine basal area and merchantable volume growth on hardwood removal plots exceeded the check plots by 25 and 27%. Projected growth between ages 22 and 35 indicated that 28 years after early hardwood removal thinned plantation merchantable volume yields improved by 840 ft³ per acre. South. J. Appl. For. 15(1):22-27.

1994 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 128-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. Murphy ◽  
Michael G. Shelton

Abstract The effects of three levels of residual basal area (40, 60, and 80 ft2/ac), maximum dbh (12, 16, and 20 in.) and site index (< 81 ft, 81 to 90 ft, and >90 ft) on the growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands after 5 yr of uneven-aged silviculture were determined from plots located in south Arkansas and north Louisiana. Designated levels of basal area and maximum dbh were achieved by harvesting; a q factor of 1.2 (using 1 in. dbh classes) was imposed on all plots as closely as possible. Stand-level models were developed for annual per acre net volume growth (merchantable cubic feet, sawtimber cubic feet, and sawtimber board feet, Doyle rule) and annual per acre survivor growth, ingrowth, and mortality components of basal area growth. Growth for all volume measures increased with an increase in basal area. Site index did not significantly affect merchantable cubic-foot growth but had a positive effect on sawtimber growth in both cubic feet and board feet, Doyle. Increases in maximum dbh decreased merchantable and sawtimber cubic-foot growth but increased growth for board-foot volume, Doyle. South. J. Appl. For. 18(3): 128-132.


1988 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald H. Marx ◽  
Charles E. Cordell ◽  
Alexander Clark

Abstract Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L) seedlings with different initial amounts of Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) ectomycorrhizae (Pt index 0, 27, 46, 68, or 88) were planted on a good-quality site (site index 90 ft at age 50) in southwest Georgia. After 8 years and crown closure, trees with Pt indices of 88 and 68 had significantly better survival and greater heights, diameters, volumes, and green weights per tree and per ac than nursery-run, control seedlings (Pt index 0). Volume and weight yields per ac were over 50% greater and volume and weight yields per tree were over 20% greater for trees in the Pt index 88 treatment than they were for control trees. A special statistical analysis indicated that average per ac volume was positively correlated with initial Pt index values larger than 58. Tree-ring analyses showed that trees with a Pt index of 88 had significantly greater annual basal area growth than controls during growing seasons with water deficits of 8 to 13 in. Annual growth did not differ when water deficits were greater or less than these amounts. After 8 years, Pt basidiocarps were present throughout the study site. Mycorrhizal treatment integrity may have been lost after 3 or 4 years. South. J. Appl. For. 12(4):275-280


1993 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J. Jokela ◽  
Stephen C. Stearns-Smith

Abstract Data from six fertilizer trials established in semimature southern pine stands (five slash pine, Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii; one loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L.) were analyzed to determine the efficacy of single vs. split fertilizer treatments. Both fertilizer treatments supplied an elemental equivalent of 200 lb nitrogen (N)/ac and 50 lb phosphorus (P)/ac; however, the first treatment was delivered as a single dose, and the second treatment was a split N application (i.e., 50 lb N and 50 lb P/ac (initial); 150 lb N/ac (2 yr later). Cumulative responses of fertilized plots were still significantly greater than the controls in five trials after 8 yr and averaged 43% (15.7 ft²/ac) and 39% (607 ft³/ac) for basal area and stand volume growth, respectively. In general, no significant differences in either the magnitude or duration of response were detected between the single and split N fertilizer treatments. This suggests that delaying a portion of the N application for 2 yr will not diminish the level of growth responses attained. Therefore, land managers have flexibility in using either application method when implementing midrotation fertilizer prescriptions. South. J. Appl. For. 17(3):135-138.


1982 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. L. Wheeler ◽  
F. M. Meade ◽  
M. W. Russell

Abstract A thinning and fertilizing study was established in an 11-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. Half of the plots were row thinned, removing 50 percent of the trees; plots were split and half were fertilized at a per acre rate of 100 pounds nitrogen, 50 pounds phosphorous and 50 pounds potassium. There was no response of height, d.b.h. or volume growth to fertilizer. Thinning increased diameter growth but decreased volume growth. The trees have shown exceptional growth. At age 17 the height was 49 feet, d.b.h. 7.3 inches and stocking 2,490 cubic feet on the thinned plots. The respective values for the unthinned plots were 48 feet, 6.7 inches, and 3,960 cubic feet.


1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1344-1351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hubert Sterba ◽  
Ralph L Amateis

Crown efficiency was first defined by Assmann (1961. Waldertragskunde. BLV, München) as individual tree volume increment per unit of crown projection area. He hypothesized that within a given crown class, smaller crowns are more efficient because their ratio between crown surface and horizontal crown projection is higher. Data from a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) spacing experiment were used to test if this hypothesis also holds in young loblolly pine stands and, if so, to determine if it explains the increment differences between spacings in the spacing experiment. Using individual tree height relative to plot dominant height to describe crown class, within-plot regression showed that crown efficiency decreased with crown size for trees below dominant height. This relationship was much less pronounced than indicated from Assmann's examples, although the crown surface to crown projection ratio behaved in the same way as Assmann had hypothesized. Crown efficiency as well as the crown surface to crown projection area ratio decreased with increasing density. Basal area increment per hectare increased until total crown closure approached 130% and then stayed constant. This major impact of total crown coverage brings into question the usefullness of crown efficiency as an indicator for unit area growth.


1988 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 270-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles R. Blinn ◽  
Al Lyons ◽  
Edward R. Buckner

Abstract Color aerial photography was used to assess crown color classes in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations. Three distinct Munsell color classes were delineated on the resulting photographs. Foliar N levels and, to a lesser degree, foliar K levels were directly related to color. Significant relationships between color and site index and color and basal area were shown. Application of color aerial photography, combined with Munsell color coding, could expedite land classification and also make possible more efficient use of fertilizers. South J. Appl. For. 12(4):270-273.


1982 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Ruehle

Abstract Container-grown loblolly pine seedlings (Pinus taeda L.) with Pisolithus tinctorius, Thelephora terrestris, or no ectomycorrhizae (control) were outplanted on a South Carolina reforestation site. Two years after planting, seedlings initially colonized with Pisolithus or Thelephora had greater survival, height, and root collar diameter than control seedlings. Growth data were integrated into seedling volume indices (D²H). Seedlings with ectomycorrhizae at planting had nearly a three-fold greater D²H than seedlings initially without ectomycorrhizae. These results provided additional field validation for the hypothesis regarding benefits of ectomycorrhizae on this type of planting stock.


1992 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Knowe

Abstract Prediction equations were developed for basal area and percentiles of diameter distributions to account for the hardwood component in site-prepared, Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations. Unlike existing stand-level simulation models that incorporate hardwood competition, the new equations resulted in constant total basal area regardless of the amount of hardwood competition and permitted the variance of the diameter distribution to increase with increasing proportion of hardwoods. The equations presented can be used with existing dominant height, survival, and volume equations as a tool for assessing the impact of hardwoods on loblolly pine yield. South. J. Appl. For. 16(2):93-98.


1983 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. Murphy ◽  
Robert M. Farrar

Abstract Equations are given to estimate current and projected sawtimber volumes and projected basal area of the sawtimber portion of uneven-aged loblolly-shortleaf (Pinus taeda L.-Pinus echinata Mill.) pine stands managed under the selection system. The independent variables are elapsed time, initial merchantable basal area, and the initial ratio of sawtimber basal area to merchantable basal area. The results should provide guidelines for the board-foot and cubic-foot production of sawtimber-sized trees in uneven-aged stands that occur on average sites (site index 90, loblolly pine) in the Coastal Plain.


1992 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney L. Busby

Abstract Herbaceous weed control using Oust (sulfometuron methyl²) is economically efficient in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations given reasonable expectations about the long-term effect of the treatment on stand growth. Increases in the sizes of the growth increments following treatment that have been reported in the literature, and the economic returns this analysis shows are possible, indicate that investment in herbaceous weed control can be a prudent silvicultural option. South. J. Appl. For. 16(1):40-47.


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