Ref ID: 10934
Ref Type: Journal (Unpublished)
Authors: Close, D. C., Bail, I., Hunter, S. J., and Beadle, C. L.
Pub Date: 2005
Journal Name: Australian Forestry
Volume:
Issue:
Start Page:
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Keywords: analysis/architecture/Australia/beetle/beetles/biomass/diameter/early/effect/Eucalyptus/Eucalyptus globulus/field/globulus/Green Triangle,Victoria/growth/height/high/intermediate/leaf/Leaves/loss/near/nitrogen/nursery/nutrition/performance/plantation/planting/production/rainfall/region/resource/risk/root/seedling/seedling container/seedling specification/seedlings/site/sites/south-west Western Australia/Spring Beetle/trial/Victoria/volume/WAPRES/Western Australia
Abstract: Large and small seedlings (early- and late-germinated, respectively; height difference of two-fold) were raised in Colmax® 72, Premium Plastic 104® and Lannen® 63 containers in the Western Australia Plantation Resources (WAPRES) nursery, Manjimup Western Australia (WA). The seedlings were planted into field trials at ‘Oldhams’ treefarm, a site near Manjimup (WA) considered of high risk to spring beetle attack, and at ‘Capaul’, ‘Knebsworth’, and ‘Stribling’ treefarms in the ‘Green Triangle’ (GT) region of north-west Victoria, Australia. The trials in the GT traversed an estimated production gradient that was strongly linked to average rainfall: Capaul 650 mm yr-1, Knebsworth 725 mm yr-1 and Stribling 820 mm yr-1. At all sites, seedling height and diameter (and leaf area loss to spring beetles at Oldhams only) were assessed at planting and at two, four and six months after planting. Seedlings were harvested at four months at Oldhams and at two and four months in the GT trials for nitrogen and biomass analysis. Six months after planting there was no effect of initial seedling size on growth after planting, but a strong effect of container type in all GT trials. At Oldhams there was no seedling size but there was a container type effect at six months after planting. In the GT trials, biomass and height growth at age six months was least in Colmax-raised seedlings, intermediate in Lannen 63-raised seedlings and greatest in Premium Plastic 104-raised seedlings. The performance of seedlings raised in Colmax containers planted into the GT trials may be related to the effects of the small container size on root architecture and/or seedling nutrition. The intermediate growth of seedlings raised in Lannen 63 containers, that had the largest container volume, indicates that factors other than container volume affect seedling performance
Notes: Entered by Maria Ottenschlaeger (17/08/2004)
Reprint: Not in File
Program: SPF Sustainable Management
Project: B3
Deliverable: B3-5.3
Confidentiality: Confidential to All Partners until Published
Availability: Authors
Report: Annual Report 2005/6
Type: Article
Address: Dugald.Close@ffp.csiro.au
Misc 2: Submitted