Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural Fields
Mechanical site preparation is often prescribed as a tool for correcting soil condition problems encountered when planting former agricultural fields. While the impact of mechanical site preparation on early growth and survival of young oak seedlings is well-known, there is a shortage of information...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1202 |
| _version_ | 1797445400593956864 |
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| author | Andrew B. Self John L. Willis |
| author_facet | Andrew B. Self John L. Willis |
| author_sort | Andrew B. Self |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mechanical site preparation is often prescribed as a tool for correcting soil condition problems encountered when planting former agricultural fields. While the impact of mechanical site preparation on early growth and survival of young oak seedlings is well-known, there is a shortage of information regarding the longer-term effects of these treatments. Four hundred and eighty, 1-0 bare-root seedlings each of Nuttall oak (<i>Quercus texana</i> Buckley), Shumard oak (<i>Quercus shumardii</i> Buckley), and swamp chestnut oak (<i>Quercus michauxii</i> Nutt.) seedlings were planted in February 2008 on a retired agricultural site in northwest Mississippi. Four site preparation treatments were utilized, with 160 seedlings of each species per species/mechanical treatment combination, totaling 1440 seedlings for the study. Mechanical site preparation included control, subsoiling, bedding, and combination plowing treatments applied on 3.1 m row centers. Eleven-year diameter (DBH), total height growth (HT), height-to-live crown (HTLC), and survival data were recorded in early 2019. Treatment effects were analyzed, and significant differences were not detected for tree survival. However, differences were observed in the DBH, HT, and HTLC averages of swamp chestnut oak and the DBH of Shumard oak. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:25:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6378bf33680d4f1789d8a9f45a50aedc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:25:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-6378bf33680d4f1789d8a9f45a50aedc2023-11-30T21:24:34ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-07-01138120210.3390/f13081202Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural FieldsAndrew B. Self0John L. Willis1College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University Extension Service, 50 E. Pecan St., Ste. B, Grenada, MS 38901, USAUSDA Forest Service, 521 Devall Dr, Auburn, AL 36849, USAMechanical site preparation is often prescribed as a tool for correcting soil condition problems encountered when planting former agricultural fields. While the impact of mechanical site preparation on early growth and survival of young oak seedlings is well-known, there is a shortage of information regarding the longer-term effects of these treatments. Four hundred and eighty, 1-0 bare-root seedlings each of Nuttall oak (<i>Quercus texana</i> Buckley), Shumard oak (<i>Quercus shumardii</i> Buckley), and swamp chestnut oak (<i>Quercus michauxii</i> Nutt.) seedlings were planted in February 2008 on a retired agricultural site in northwest Mississippi. Four site preparation treatments were utilized, with 160 seedlings of each species per species/mechanical treatment combination, totaling 1440 seedlings for the study. Mechanical site preparation included control, subsoiling, bedding, and combination plowing treatments applied on 3.1 m row centers. Eleven-year diameter (DBH), total height growth (HT), height-to-live crown (HTLC), and survival data were recorded in early 2019. Treatment effects were analyzed, and significant differences were not detected for tree survival. However, differences were observed in the DBH, HT, and HTLC averages of swamp chestnut oak and the DBH of Shumard oak.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1202mechanical site preparationretired agricultural fieldsoak afforestationself-pruninghardwood plantations |
| spellingShingle | Andrew B. Self John L. Willis Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural Fields Forests mechanical site preparation retired agricultural fields oak afforestation self-pruning hardwood plantations |
| title | Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural Fields |
| title_full | Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural Fields |
| title_fullStr | Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural Fields |
| title_full_unstemmed | Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural Fields |
| title_short | Eleven-Year Effects of Mechanical Site Preparation on Oaks Planted on Former Agricultural Fields |
| title_sort | eleven year effects of mechanical site preparation on oaks planted on former agricultural fields |
| topic | mechanical site preparation retired agricultural fields oak afforestation self-pruning hardwood plantations |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1202 |
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