Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar Plantations
Controlling competing vegetation during early growth is one of the most important practices for the successful establishment of poplar plantations. Today, most poplar plantations in temperate regions are established on abandoned marginal agricultural land where competing vegetation is usually presen...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2015-08-01
|
| Series: | Forests |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/8/2785 |
| _version_ | 1811232485415059456 |
|---|---|
| author | Henrik Böhlenius Rolf Övergaard |
| author_facet | Henrik Böhlenius Rolf Övergaard |
| author_sort | Henrik Böhlenius |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Controlling competing vegetation during early growth is one of the most important practices for the successful establishment of poplar plantations. Today, most poplar plantations in temperate regions are established on abandoned marginal agricultural land where competing vegetation is usually present during the first years after planting. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine how the growth of two kinds of poplar planting materials, un-rooted cuttings and bare-rooted seedlings was influenced by different vegetation control and soil preparation practices. Across treatments, un-rooted cuttings grew more rapidly than the bare-rooted seedlings. Our results also show that mulching with a degradable carpet or permanent polyethylene plastic increased seedling growth to a similar extent and more strongly in the cases of no treatment (in control plots). In addition, the results suggest that soil preparation in the mulched area favored seedling growth, but this effect was restricted to the first year after planting. These findings indicate that optimal practices for establishing poplar plantations on former agricultural land include planting un-rooted cuttings in prepared soil and mulching. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:03:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7cf52c93a93a4d7e946e28c453a9c70d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:03:36Z |
| publishDate | 2015-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-7cf52c93a93a4d7e946e28c453a9c70d2022-12-22T03:35:52ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072015-08-01682785279810.3390/f6082785f6082785Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar PlantationsHenrik Böhlenius0Rolf Övergaard1Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, SE-230 53, SwedenSouthern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, SE-230 53, SwedenControlling competing vegetation during early growth is one of the most important practices for the successful establishment of poplar plantations. Today, most poplar plantations in temperate regions are established on abandoned marginal agricultural land where competing vegetation is usually present during the first years after planting. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine how the growth of two kinds of poplar planting materials, un-rooted cuttings and bare-rooted seedlings was influenced by different vegetation control and soil preparation practices. Across treatments, un-rooted cuttings grew more rapidly than the bare-rooted seedlings. Our results also show that mulching with a degradable carpet or permanent polyethylene plastic increased seedling growth to a similar extent and more strongly in the cases of no treatment (in control plots). In addition, the results suggest that soil preparation in the mulched area favored seedling growth, but this effect was restricted to the first year after planting. These findings indicate that optimal practices for establishing poplar plantations on former agricultural land include planting un-rooted cuttings in prepared soil and mulching.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/8/2785Populus trichocarpacuttingsrooted seedlingsmulching materialplant development |
| spellingShingle | Henrik Böhlenius Rolf Övergaard Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar Plantations Forests Populus trichocarpa cuttings rooted seedlings mulching material plant development |
| title | Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar Plantations |
| title_full | Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar Plantations |
| title_fullStr | Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar Plantations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar Plantations |
| title_short | Exploration of Optimal Agricultural Practices and Seedling Types for Establishing Poplar Plantations |
| title_sort | exploration of optimal agricultural practices and seedling types for establishing poplar plantations |
| topic | Populus trichocarpa cuttings rooted seedlings mulching material plant development |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/8/2785 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT henrikbohlenius explorationofoptimalagriculturalpracticesandseedlingtypesforestablishingpoplarplantations AT rolfovergaard explorationofoptimalagriculturalpracticesandseedlingtypesforestablishingpoplarplantations |