Effect of nitrogen and boron fertilisation on juvenile stone pine growth. A pot experiment

Abstract

At the establishment stage of a forest plantation, soil nutritional limitations can lead to insufficient plant growth and predispose plants to biotic and abiotic damages. Adequate plant nutrition contributes to proper plant establishment and subsequent growth. Nitrogen (N) and boron (B), among others, are essential nutrients for plant vigour and growth, and their requirements need to be established. However, there is a lack of information concerning post-transplant fertilisation of stone pine (Pinus pinea L.). The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of N and B applications on the vegetative growth of stone pine during the first three years in a conditioned environment. Morphological characteristics such as height growth (HGI), root collar diameter (RCDI), total branches length (TBL) and terminal buds length (BL) were evaluated for each plant, as well as the aboveground and root biomass production. The results showed that N fertilisation caused an increase in all growth variables suggesting that the application of N at a juvenile stage (after transplanting) of this specie will improve its development and obtain a reserve of this nutrient to be used by the plant at later stages of development, especially in soils with low fertility. Boron application had no effect on the evaluated parameters.