scholarly journals Influence of Topographic Conditions on Teak Growth Performance in Mountainous Landscapes of Lao PDR

Forests ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Simone Vongkhamho ◽  
Akihiro Imaya ◽  
Kazukiyo Yamamoto ◽  
Chisato Takenaka ◽  
Hiroyuki Yamamoto

Teak is a globally valuable hardwood tree species, as its growth performance is important for timber productivity. The purpose of this study was to establish an effective management system for teak plantations in the Lao PDR. Using diameter at breast height (DBH) and height growth as significant indicators of growth performance, we investigated the relationship between tree growth curve parameters of teak and topographic conditions. Stem analysis data for 81 sample trees (three trees selected in canopy trees with predominant height in each plot) were examined for growth performance using the Mitscherlich growth function. The results of Spearman’s partial rank correlation indicated that the upper limits of DBH and tree height growth had significant negative correlations with the slope gradient and stand density. The curvature of DBH and tree height growth curves showed significant positive correlations with the slope form. Moreover, the elevation and slope gradient showed significant negative correlations with the curvature of tree height growth curve. However, the time lag of DBH growth showed a significant negative correlation with the slope position, while the slope gradient was positively correlated with the time lag of tree height growth. These results suggest that teak planted at lower slopes has faster growth rates and that there is an interaction with the gentle concave slope of this area.

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 970-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.H. Weng ◽  
P. Lu ◽  
Q.F. Meng ◽  
M. Krasowski

Developing resistance to western gall rust (WGR) is important for maintaining healthy and productive jack pine plantations. In this study, we estimated genetic parameters of resistance to WGR and its relationship with tree height growth, based on data collected from three second-generation full-sib progeny testing series of jack pine planted in New Brunswick, Canada. Results indicated that (i) resistance to WGR in jack pine was controlled by both additive and dominance gene effects, with the latter playing a greater role; (ii) narrow-sense heritability estimates for resistance to WGR were low (mean = 0.05; series range = 0.00∼0.09), and broad-sense heritability estimates were moderate on an individual-tree basis (mean = 0.53) and considerably higher on the full-sib family mean basis (mean = 0.87); (iii) additive genetic correlation between tree height growth and WGR incidence was low (≤0.06) in two series and only slightly higher and favorable (–0.19) in one series, suggesting that selection on growth traits would not negatively affect WGR resistance; and (iv) mid-parental additive genetic and dominance effects on WGR were empirically correlated (>0.65), indicating that incorporating breeding for WGR resistance into current jack pine tree improvement programs with a seed orchard approach could partly capture the benefit from dominance effects. Although genetic gains in WGR resistance could be realized through various breeding and deployment schemes, it appeared that rapid improvement could be achieved through backward selection on full-sib family means.


HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 582a-582
Author(s):  
F.D. Moore ◽  
S.R. Nath ◽  
Y-C Wang

Duration of growth is dependent on morphological events or changes in growth rate. It is the latter that is associated with phasic development. The most productive phase of plant growth is the linear or constant rate phase, primarily because it endures longer than the exponential phase. The purpose of our research was to objectively determine the true tree-height growth pattern, the linear and stationary phases of height growth, and to mathematically derive the maximum slope (maximum growth rate) of the growth curve, its location (inflection point), and the maximum slope of the logarithmic form (maximum relative growth rate) of the growth curve. The data were composed of 333 tree-height records covering 240 years from 200 beechwoods in the U.K. Height-age data were fitted using a splined function (S) and the Chapman-Richards function (CR). The growth curve and critical points on the curve were derived from the CR model. The linear phase began when trees were 9 and lasted 43 years. However, the stationary phase did not begin until age 162. Anecdotal evidence suggests that very little fruiting occurs before age 50. Based on derived critical points and anticipated source-sink dynamics, the reproductive stage should have taken place during the progressive “deceleration phase” when trees were between 31 (location of the maximum slope, also inflection point) and 162 (from quadratic root). The linear phase ended at 52 years, (coinciding with minimum acceleration) and may prove a more accurate estimate than 31. Maximum slope was 1.2 m per year occurring at age 31. Maximum slope of the log curve was 0.14 m·m–1 per year. The advantage of the CR function and the importance of the derived quantities and growth phases will be discussed.


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