Nutrient requirements and stress response of Populus simonii and Paulownia tomentosa

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to estimate the optimum nutrient requirements and responses to low relative nutrient addition rates of seedlings of two important broadleaf tree species in China, Populus simonii Carr. and Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud. In preliminary experiments the optimum nutrient proportions were estimated under high concentration conditions. The nutrients consumed were replaced by means of daily additions determined by pH and conductivity titrations without changing the nutrient solutions. A relatively high K level was needed in relation to nitrogen; higher than in birch or grey alder seedlings. To obtain a high relative growth rate, suitable proportions by weight were 100 N:70 K:14 P:7 Ca:7 Mg for the Populus seedlings and 100 N:75 K:20 P:8 Ca:9 Mg for the Paulownia seedlings.In studies of nutrient stress responses the relative nutrient addition rate was used as the treatment variable under low conductivity conditions. The responses and relationships were similar to those described for birch, grey alder and Salix. The relative addition rate, and there was also a strong linear regression between relative growth rate and nitrogen status. Relative growth rates were high and the maximum weight increase was about 19% day−1 in Populus and over 25% day−1 in Paulownia. The nitrogen productivity of Paulownia was very high, 0.26 g dry weight (g N)−1 h−1, and for Populus it was 0.16 g dry weight (g N)−1 h−1.