Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands?
Broadcast motor-manual or manual brushing treatments applied to control aspen (<i>Populus tremuloides</i> Michx.) in young spruce (<i>Picea glauca</i> (Moench) Voss) plantations often result in increases in the number of aspen stems and the amount of aspen competition. In thi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/11/1784 |
| _version_ | 1797468269138935808 |
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| author | Philip G. Comeau |
| author_facet | Philip G. Comeau |
| author_sort | Philip G. Comeau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Broadcast motor-manual or manual brushing treatments applied to control aspen (<i>Populus tremuloides</i> Michx.) in young spruce (<i>Picea glauca</i> (Moench) Voss) plantations often result in increases in the number of aspen stems and the amount of aspen competition. In this study data collected at three locations is used to examine the potential effectiveness of spot brushing treatments, applied over radii ranging between 1.0 and 2.5 m around individual spruce, to aspen that are two, four or six years old. Results indicate that spot manual or motor-manual treatments result in reductions in the number and size of aspen stump sprouts compared to the untreated control. However, when aspen size and vigour are reduced due to site or other factors, as observed for blocks at one location, post-treatment aspen densities may still be high (e.g., above 5000 stems ha<sup>−1</sup>). Spot treatments applied when aspen regeneration was two years old were observed to be less effective than treatments applied at ages 4 or 6. At two study locations where control was effective, spot brushing treatments significantly increased spruce diameters after treatment compared to untreated. Broadcast or spot treatment using basal bark application of triclopyr ester (Release<sup>®</sup>) herbicide at one of the study sites resulted in similar increases in spruce diameter to those observed for motor-manual treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:05:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-efc3bc4f528449e9a3eceba7dfe4623f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:05:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-efc3bc4f528449e9a3eceba7dfe4623f2023-11-24T04:43:09ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-10-011311178410.3390/f13111784Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands?Philip G. Comeau0Department of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, CanadaBroadcast motor-manual or manual brushing treatments applied to control aspen (<i>Populus tremuloides</i> Michx.) in young spruce (<i>Picea glauca</i> (Moench) Voss) plantations often result in increases in the number of aspen stems and the amount of aspen competition. In this study data collected at three locations is used to examine the potential effectiveness of spot brushing treatments, applied over radii ranging between 1.0 and 2.5 m around individual spruce, to aspen that are two, four or six years old. Results indicate that spot manual or motor-manual treatments result in reductions in the number and size of aspen stump sprouts compared to the untreated control. However, when aspen size and vigour are reduced due to site or other factors, as observed for blocks at one location, post-treatment aspen densities may still be high (e.g., above 5000 stems ha<sup>−1</sup>). Spot treatments applied when aspen regeneration was two years old were observed to be less effective than treatments applied at ages 4 or 6. At two study locations where control was effective, spot brushing treatments significantly increased spruce diameters after treatment compared to untreated. Broadcast or spot treatment using basal bark application of triclopyr ester (Release<sup>®</sup>) herbicide at one of the study sites resulted in similar increases in spruce diameter to those observed for motor-manual treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/11/1784<i>white spruce</i><i>trembling aspen</i>brushingbrush cuttingspot treatment |
| spellingShingle | Philip G. Comeau Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands? Forests <i>white spruce</i> <i>trembling aspen</i> brushing brush cutting spot treatment |
| title | Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands? |
| title_full | Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands? |
| title_fullStr | Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands? |
| title_short | Can Spot Motor-Manual Brushing Treatments Be Effective for Controlling Aspen and Increasing Spruce Growth in Regenerating Mixedwood Stands? |
| title_sort | can spot motor manual brushing treatments be effective for controlling aspen and increasing spruce growth in regenerating mixedwood stands |
| topic | <i>white spruce</i> <i>trembling aspen</i> brushing brush cutting spot treatment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/11/1784 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT philipgcomeau canspotmotormanualbrushingtreatmentsbeeffectiveforcontrollingaspenandincreasingsprucegrowthinregeneratingmixedwoodstands |