Successive impact of the nitrogen fertilization of basket willow (Salix viminalis L.) on the canopy architecture in 9th and 10th year of regrowth of shoots

J Szyszka,J Krasoń,P Miąsik,L Lichołai,Janusz Dąbrowski,B Dębska,Leszek Styszko,A Szalacha

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/20184900110

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper was an assessment of the successive impact of fertilization with nitrogen on the regrowth dynamics of the shoots of 10 genotypes (three clones and seven varieties) of basket willow (Salix viminalis L.) in the 9th and 10th year of cultivation. In 2008- 2015, mineral nitrogen fertilization was applied in the whole experiment in four doses. The measurements of height and thickness of willow shoots, of the quantity of live and dead shoots in the snag and live and dead snags on the plot were performed in the experiment realized in 2016-2017. Biometric measurements showed that increased mineral nitrogen fertilization in the year of its application intensified shoots growth in height and thickness, yet in the successive impact, in the 9th and 10th year of willow vegetation weakening of shoot regrowth in height and thickness is observed, and the number of live shoots in the snag and live snags on the plot have reduced. In particular, negative successive impact of the nitrogen fertilization on the willow canopy architecture was demonstrated on the objects that were mowed twice in the first 4-year rotation and on the varieties that do not tolerate this treatment.

Highlights

In the production of willow biomass for energy purposes, maintaining snag planting per hectare in the whole 25-year cycle of its cultivation is important
There is no assessment of the successive impact with reference to the regrowth dynamics of willow shoots during the later years of cultivation with diversified nitrogen fertilization and in variants of its mowing
The purpose of the present paper was an assessment of the successive impact of fertilization with nitrogen on the regrowth dynamics of the shoots of 10 genotypes of basket willow (Salix viminalis L.) in the 9th and 10th year of cultivation on light soil in Middle Pomerania in Poland (16°24’N i 54°8’E)

Summary

Introduction

In the production of willow biomass for energy purposes, maintaining snag planting per hectare in the whole 25-year cycle of its cultivation is important. The loss of live snags on the plantation reduces the production capacity of the willow, and a low yield of biomass limits the economic profitability of the willow crop [1]. It is accepted that the target planting of live willow snags per hectare on production plantations needs to be ca. For this reason, willow is planted in the initial planting, which should amount to 18 thousand cuttings per hectare [2–4]. The willow planting and its productivity is assessed in the first 3 to 4 years of cultivation. There is no assessment of the successive impact with reference to the regrowth dynamics of willow shoots during the later years of cultivation with diversified nitrogen fertilization and in variants of its mowing

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