Interaction of Fertilization and Weed Control Influences on Growth, Biomass, and Carbon in Eucalyptus Hybrid (E. pellita × E. brassiana)

P Y A P Wirabuana,R Sadono,F Idris,S Juniarso

doi:10.7226/jtfm.26.2.144

P Y A P Wirabuana, R Sadono + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.7226/jtfm.26.2.144

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Abstract

Fertilization and weed control are regularly conducted as the main silvicultural prescriptions in the eucalyptus plantation forest. However, the interaction effects of both treatments on eucalyptus performance are still not deeply understood, even though these treatments require high investment. This circumstance may potentially inhibit the managers to formulate more efficient maintenance strategy for increasing stand productivity. This study examined the interaction effects of fertilization and weed control on growth, biomass, and carbon storage in eucalyptus hybrid (E. pellita x E. brassiana). Results demonstrated that without both treatments, the average stand volume only reached 37.9 m3 ha -1 with the mean biomass and carbon storage approached 25.4 and 12.7 Mg ha -1, respectively. In contrast, the use of both treatments simultaneously improved the mean volume around 60.4 m3 ha -1 with the average biomass and carbon storage closed to 37.6 and 18.8 Mg ha -1. Furthermore, the development of eucalyptus hybrid using fertilization without weed control only gained the mean wood production approximately 58.7 m3 ha -1 while the practice of weed control without fertilization only resulted the average volume nearly 43.7 m3 ha -1. These facts indicated fertilization exhibited higher influence than weed control on the performance of eucalyptus hybrid.

Highlights

Nowadays, eucalyptus plantation's existence plays an important contribution to stabilizing wood supply for forestry industries, especially in pulp and paper (Pirralho et al, 2014)
The response of eucalyptus hybrid to fertilization treatment The fertilization application still demonstrated a significant influence on growth, biomass, and carbon storage in a eucalyptus hybrid at two years after planting (Table 4)
At the end of 2 years, the interaction of fertilization and weed control still demonstrated a significant influence on stand volume, biomass accumulation, and carbon storage in eucalyptus hybrid

Summary

Introduction

Eucalyptus plantation's existence plays an important contribution to stabilizing wood supply for forestry industries, especially in pulp and paper (Pirralho et al, 2014). Potassium fertilization for Eucalyptus grandis plantation in Brazil increases stem wood biomass around 173% higher in trees fertilized than in trees without fertilization application at mid-rotation (3 years) (Battie-laclau et al, 2016) Another example from Colombia reported that the implementation of fertilization using phosphorus in E. pellita plantation improves timber volume ranging from 20% to 35% compared to the trees with no fertilization at 34 months (Amezquita et al, 2018). A study from South Sumatra reports that phosphorus fertilization on the growth performance of E. pellita plantation substantially increases total aboveground biomass approximately 100–300% higher than unfertilized trees six months after establishment (Wirabuana et al, 2019) Those examples indicate the importance meaning of fertilization as a silvicultural regime in a eucalyptus plantation

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