Sprout Biomass Research Articles

Response of Pumpkin to Different Concentrations and Forms of Selenium and Iodine, and their Combinations.

The elements selenium (Se) and iodine (I) are both crucial for the normal functioning of the thyroid. Biofortification with these elements is particularly feasible in areas where they show a deficit. Iodine and selenium can have positive effects on different plants when applied at the correct concentrations. The effects of their simultaneous addition on plant physiology and biochemistry, as well as on seed germination and sprout biomass, were studied in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. ssp. pepo). To study the effect of Se and I on sprouts, sprouts were grown from seeds soaked in solutions of different forms of Se, I and their combination in the growth chamber experiment. In the field experiment, pumpkins plants were foliarly treated with the same concentrations and forms of Se and I. The combination of Se and I treatments enhanced the germination of the soaked seeds, with no significant differences between Se and I treatments for sprout mass. The yield of pumpkins and seed production were unaffected by Se and I foliar application. The anthocyanin levels and respiratory potential measured via the electron transport system’s activity showed different patterns according to treatments and plant parts (sprouts, leaves, seeds). The redistribution of Se and I from seeds to sprouts was significant. The accumulation of Se was higher in sprouts from the seeds treated with Se together with I, compared to sprouts from the seeds treated with Se alone. Interactions between Se and I were also noted in the seeds, which developed in the treated plants.

Resprouting trees drive understory vegetation dynamics following logging in a temperate forest

Removal of canopy trees by logging causes shifts in herbaceous diversity and increases invasibility of the forest understory. However, disturbed (cut) trees of many species do not die but resprout from remaining parts. Because sprouts develop vigorously immediately after disturbances, we hypothesized that sprouts of logged trees offset the changes in species richness and invasibility of the herbaceous layer by eliminating the rise in the resource availability during the time before regeneration from seeds develops. To test this, we analyzed data on herbaceous vegetation and sprout biomass collected in a broadleaved temperate forest in the Czech Republic before and for 6 years after logging. Sprouts that were produced by most of the stumps of logged trees offset large rises in species richness and cover of herbaceous plants and the resource availability that followed logging, but they affected the alien plants more significantly than the native plants. The sprouting canopy effectually eliminated most of the alien species that colonized the forest following a logging event. These findings indicate that in forests dominated by tree species with resprouting ability, sprouts drive the early post-disturbance dynamics of the herbaceous layer. By offsetting the post-disturbance vegetation shifts, resprouting supports forest resilience.

Effective determination of biomass in oak coppices

The diameter at breast height of the largest sprout per coppiced stool proved to be accurate for the total sprout biomass estimates at stand level. Traditional coppicing is one of the oldest silvicultural systems for biomass production. However, a quick and simple biomass estimate methodology across the entire growth period is lacking. The objective of this study was to find the sprout parameters that need to be measured for accurate sprout estimates as well as to find a necessary minimum number of sprouts for these estimates. Using data from 20 sample Turkey oak multi-stem trees, we modelled sprout biomass as a function of an increasing number of sprouts in interaction with different sprout parameters in a later post-resprouting period. Results showed that the DBH of only two of the largest sprouts per stump proved to be accurate estimators of the total sprout biomass of the individual stool. For sprout biomass estimates at stand level, we recommend measuring the DBH of the largest sprout within each stool in a plot and then calculating and summing the estimated sprout biomasses of the individual stools. This study illustrates that the biomass can simply be estimated by easily measured parameters of sprouts; therefore, the multi-stemmed trees can be easily included into the yield or ecosystem studies of woody vegetation with less time-consuming measurements.

Exogenous Spermidine Promotes γ-Aminobutyric Acid Accumulation and Alleviates the Negative Effect of NaCl Stress in Germinating Soybean (Glycine max L.).

We investigated the effects of exogenous spermidine (Spd) on the physiological status, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthase activity, and gene expressions in germinating soybeans under NaCl stress. The results show that Spd significantly increases sprout growth and biomass, decreases malonaldehyde and H2O2 contents, and markedly promotes the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and glutathione peroxidase of germinating soybeans. The harmful effect of NaCl stress was alleviated by exogenous Spd. GABA accumulation in germinating soybeans was caused by the activation of diamine oxidase, polyamine oxidase, aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase, and glutamate decarboxylase activities and by up-regulating their gene expression under Spd-NaCl treatment. The GABA content decreased by 57% and 46% in germinating soybeans with the application of aminoguanidine under Spd and Spd-NaCl treatments, respectively. In conclusion, spermidine induces the accumulation of GABA and increases sprouts biomass, thereby enhancing the functional quality of germinating soybeans.

Resprouting Responses Dynamics of Schima superba Following a Severe Ice Storm in Early 2008 in Southern China: A Six-Year Study

In 2008, an unexpected and severe ice storm affected the forest of southern China. This storm caused damage in regeneration of an important dominant tree, Schima superba (Gugertree). To study this damage, we set up permanent monitoring plots in an ice-storm-damaged subtropical evergreen broad-leaved secondary forest dominated by S.superba in Jianglang Mountains, China. We surveyed the damage to all trees with a minimum basal diameter of 4 cm and monitored their growth for 6 consecutive years. We analyzed the degrees and types of damage for S.superba and their relationships with resprouting characteristics. The results revealed that the main damage types of S.superba were decapitation (45.45%) and uprooting (28.41%). The distribution percentage for both decapitated and uprooted trees were commonly highest in the range of 10–16 cm basal diameter (BD) size class. A great number of individuals sprouted vigorously after the storm. The mean total sprout number and sprout biomass per tree for S.superba varied by tree BD size class. During the first three years after the ice storm, decapitated trees of larger BD classes produced more sprouts per tree than trees of smaller BD classes. However, the opposite trend was seen in uprooted and leaning trees. There was a trade-off between the total number and length of the sprouts. The difference of mean sprouts number and biomass per tree with size class was mainly related to the damage types. As the recovery progressed since the ice storm, the number of sprouts and sprout biomass in uprooted trees was found mainly on the middle trunk sections of uprooted trees, but in the upper sections of decapitated trees. After six years, the mean number of sprouts per tree, on different parts of the tree and for the three types of damaged trees all declined; however, sprout biomass per tree all increased. The mean number of sprout and sprout biomass per tree on different sections for decapitated trees was always highest over time since the storm. Our study will help to provide data on resprouting ability to develop a predictive model for resprouting.

Stump diameter and age affect coppicing of downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.)

Downy birch is a primary successional tree species colonizing open areas and thriving on peatlands. Short-rotation coppice management in natural, dense, downy birch stands could be one management option. The effect of stump diameter, stump height and stand age on the sprouting of downy birch was studied by clear-cutting six stands from three age classes (A: 10–12 years, B: 15–16 years, C: 22–24 years) located in northern Finland and measuring the sprouts in the following autumn. The percentage of non-sprouting stumps increased with the stand age (A: 9%, B: 14%, C: 27%). The smallest (< 1 cm) and biggest (> 9 cm) stumps showed higher mortality than medium-sized stumps. Sprouts originated close to the ground level: over 50% were located below 2 cm from the ground level. An increase in the diameter of stumps led to higher numbers of sprouts produced per stump, and higher mean, dominant and cumulative height of sprouts per stump and higher biomass of sprouts per stump. The effect of the diameter on the growth of sprouts depended on the stand age. In the same diameter class, the mean height, dominant height and biomass per stump were higher the younger the stand was. The biomass per stump correlated best with the total height of the sprouts on a stump. The results have implications for strategies in controlling sprouting in coniferous stands and for stand management practices when the aim is to grow downy birch coppices.

Restoring temperate secondary forests by promoting sprout regeneration: Effects of gap size and within-gap position on the photosynthesis and growth of stump sprouts with contrasting shade tolerance

To improve the productivity and ecological functions, it is essential to recover secondary forests, the major forest resources in the world, by promoting the regeneration of dominant tree species. Forest gaps are a dominant form of small-scale disturbances in secondary forests, and sprout regeneration commonly occur after the gap formation from logging. Within-gap position and gap size are two key characteristics affecting tree regeneration by changing micro-environments. Promoting the sprout regeneration of dominant tree species under forest gaps with various sizes and within-gap positions is a key measure to recover secondary forests. Twelve artificial gaps were created in March 2015 and the photosynthesis and growth of stump sprouts of three dominant tree species with varying levels of shade tolerance (Quercus mongolica, Acer mono, and Tilia mandshurica) were monitored in 2016. The results showed that within-gap position and gap size had significant effects on the photosynthetic ability of stump sprouts of Q. mongolica, i.e., the moderate light condition at the center parts of large gaps was more beneficial to its photosynthesis with the maximum PNmax of 26.49 μmol m-2 s-1. Gap size significantly affected the biomass of stump sprouts of both Q. mongolica (shade intolerant tree species) and A. mono (intermediate shade tolerant tree species), e.g., the aboveground biomass of these two tree species in large gaps (178.90 g for Q. mongolica and 158.42 g for A. mono, respectively) were significantly higher than those in small gaps (50.52 g for Q. mongolica and 56.95 g for A. mono, respectively) (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that of the three tree species in this study, only Q. mongolica and A. mono are sensitive to the changing environments caused by the gap size and within-gap position at the early stage of gap formation, and their photosynthesis and growth can be promoted in large gaps and at the central part of gaps with moderate light conditions. Consequently, when logging trees to create gaps, forest managers can control the gap size and within-gap position where target trees are located to promote their stump sprouts regeneration. This study may provide a new insight for the directed cultivation and restoration of temperate secondary forests.

Utilization of sesame seed sprout biomass as lipase source to hydrolyse palm oil

Lipase is known enzyme for its ability to hydrolyse triglycerides into free fatty acid. There are so much sources od lipase such as plants, microbes, and animal. But, lipase from plant seems interesting owing to its huge amount than microbes’ lipase and less harm than animal’s lipase. Many experts have proved that vegetable lipase is a potential biocatalyst so that lipase from sesame seed and sesame sprout was investigated in this research. Lipase which was obtained from each sources were then poured with 0.3 g PVA and 40% palm oil in demineral water. The lipase-palm oil solutions were then titrated with 0.05 M NaOH obtaining hydrolysis percentage. Based on the research, sesame seed supernatant produces 1.36 mmol FFA with 39% hydrolysis. Sesame sprout extract produces 1.37 mmol FFA with 39.14% hydrolysis. Those samples also contain lauric acid, miristic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid which detected by GC instrument.

Effect of trophic support on the dynamics of growth processes and carbohydrate content of winter wheat sprouts under vernalization

The influence of contrasting conditions of trophic support of vernalization on the growth reaction and dynamics of the content of various fractions of soluble carbohydrates of sprouts of two winter wheat varieties Statna and Doridna were studied. In experiments, the contrasting trophic conditions of vernalization were created by adding 3% sucrose solution, as well as isolation of endosperm, a natural reserve of carbohydrates and biologically active substances. It was shown that optimal conditions of trophic support (integral seeds + water) determined the maximum linear growth and accumulation of sprouts biomass during vernalization. The excess of exogenous sugars (integral seeds + 3% sucrose solution) inhibited growth processes. However, the deficit of trophic factors (isolated buds + 3% sucrose solution) also inhibited growth and the lack of trophic support (isolated buds + water) completely inhibited growth and accumulation of sprouts biomass during 45 days of vernalization. It was established that the dynamics of changes in soluble carbohydrates content in winter wheat sprouts also depended on the trophic support level of vernalization and correlated with changes of growth reaction. It was shown the oligosaccharide content was significantly higher than monosaccharide content of sprouts of all the variants of both varieties during the entire period of vernalization. In view of the fact that monosaccharides are the most metabolically active carbohydrates, they are probably spent as much as possible at the first stages of vernalization (15–30 days). It is discussed that different level of trophic support is able to be one of the important factors of genetic and/or epigenetic regulation of Triticum aestivum L. Thus, changes in metabolic processes, in particular carbohydrate metabolism, can effect on the reduction of VRN genes expression, which are the target of epigenetic regulation, and as a result, on the ability of soft wheat plants to flower. It is assumed that the regulatory role of carbohydrates in vernalization process can be realized only at the optimal level of trophic support.

Application Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Desmodium ovalifolium in Post mining Soil

Mining activities results on environmental degradation and finally on ecosystem damage. Legume cover crop forming symbiosis with beneficial soil microorganism is widely well known to be used for degraded land reclamation such as in post mining area. Desmodium spp. is one of legume cover crop forming symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and rhizobium symbiosis. This study aimed to analyse the growth respond D. ovalifolium that has inoculated AMF from rhizosfer of 4 types of Desmodium spp. There were two factors that are AMF inoculation and media treatment, were applied: with or without inoculation of AMF, and with or without applications of compost. Inoculation of AMF and compost application increased height of O. sumatrana two week after planting (WAP). Single inoculation of AMF into desmodium spp. improved height variables of stem significantly, total biomass, sprout biomass, and number of postule roots as well. Combination of compost and post mining soil had the highest increased in height 2 WAP and roots biomass of Desmodium spp. This research implies that AMF application is an important key for effective methods in improving plant grow in post mining area.

Research of influence of contrasting trophic conditions of vernalization on the mitotic activity of meristems, growth and development of winter wheat

The work is devoted to the most important physiological and selective sign of winter soft wheat Triticum aestivum L. – vernalization.Aim. The main aim of the work was the study of trophic factor influence on the effectiveness of vernalization process.Methods. In experiments were used the varieties of winter wheat – Statna and Doridna. The contrasting conditions of trophic support were created by vernalization on integral seeds (control) and isolated buds (experiment) adding water and 3-% solution of saccharose during 45 days at temperature 3±1°С. In experiments there was studied the influence of contrasting trophic conditions of vernalization on the mitotic activity of root meristems of vernalized sprouts, their growth reaction and rates of ontogenetic development of plants, cultivated from vernalized sprouts. All experiments were carried out under conditions of vegetative experiment in factorostatic chamber of the department of physiology and biochemistry of plants and microorganisms of Kharkiv national university, named after V.N. Karazin.Results. According to the results of researches, it was established that the growth reaction of sprouts at vernalization depends on their variety specific characteristics and on trophic factors presence. It was demonstrated that 3% solution of saccharose at vernalization stimulates proliferative activity of root meristems of both winter wheat varieties but doesn’t influences the parameter – duration of mitosis phases. The presence of trophic factors in sprouts at vernalization conditions the speed of phenophases passage and transfer to generative development of both winter wheat varieties. The vernalized sprouts of Doridna variety are characterized with higher parameters of mitotic activity of root apical meristems, accumulation of biomass of sprouts at vernalization influence and longer vegetative period comparing with Statna.Conclusion. The trophic conditions of vernalization process cause proliferative activity of meristems, growth reaction of sprouts and speed of transfer to generative development that is effectiveness of vernalization

Study of ecologo-biological reactions of common flax to finely dispersed metallurgical wastes

Study was carried out on the influence of metallurgic industrial sludge on morphometric and biochemical indicators as well as productivity of common flax under laboratory and field conditions. In laboratory settings negative influence on seed germinating ability and positive influence on sprouts biomass production in water medium were observed. In sand medium suppression of biological productivity under the influence of sludge together with photosynthetic system II (FS II) activity stimulation were registered. Biochemical study showed peroxidase activity decrease in laboratory, while activity of polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase were given a mild boost under the influence of sludge. In the field trial, positive influence of sludge on flax photosynthetic apparatus was shown. Positive influence of sludge on vegetation and yield indicators was observed. The analysis of heavy metals content showed excess over maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of copper and zinc in control plants, it may point to the background soil pollution. In the plants from the trial groups receiving 0.5 and 2 ton/ha heavy metals content below the control values was registered. Application of 4 ton/ha led to the maximum content of copper and zinc in the plants among the trial groups. The analysis of soils from the test plots indicated no excess over maximum allowable concentrations of heavy metals. Thus, further study of possibilities of using metallurgic industrial sludge as a soil stimulator in flax cultivation at the application rate of 0.5 t/ha seems promising.

Seasonality of sprouting in the exotic tree Robinia pseudoacacia L. in Hokkaido, northern Japan

Robinia pseudoacacia L., one of the major invasive tree species in Japan, has been used for coppice wood production worldwide. However, we have little knowledge of the species' sprouting characteristics. Here, we tested seasonality in R. pseudoacacia sprout development. We removed aboveground parts of R. pseudoacacia at different times throughout the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) and censused sprout demographics for three consecutive growing seasons thereafter. The most vigorous sprouting was observed among trees cut in winter, while sprouting was lowest among those cut in summer. Sprout abundance in the spring- and autumn-cut treatments was intermediate between that of winter- and summer-cut treatments. Both trunk diameter and season affected stump sprout biomass after three growing seasons, following the same seasonal pattern as above. We found a negative relationship between the herbaceous vegetation cover height and the biomass of root suckers. Both trunk removal in summer and consecutive sprout-clipping treatments contributed to the decline of living stumps. Our results show that R. pseudoacacia trees should be cut during the dormant season to facilitate coppicing and in the summer to facilitate control or removal. Conservation of herbaceous vegetation cover, together with consecutive sprout clipping, will aid the complete removal of this species.

Measuring biomass and carbon stock in resprouting woody plants.

Resprouting multi-stemmed woody plants form an important component of the woody vegetation in many ecosystems, but a clear methodology for reliable measurement of their size and quick, non-destructive estimation of their woody biomass and carbon stock is lacking. Our goal was to find a minimum number of sprouts, i.e., the most easily obtainable, and sprout parameters that should be measured for accurate sprout biomass and carbon stock estimates. Using data for 5 common temperate woody species, we modelled carbon stock and sprout biomass as a function of an increasing number of sprouts in an interaction with different sprout parameters. The mean basal diameter of only two to five of the thickest sprouts and the basal diameter and DBH of the thickest sprouts per stump proved to be accurate estimators for the total sprout biomass of the individual resprouters and the populations of resprouters, respectively. Carbon stock estimates were strongly correlated with biomass estimates, but relative carbon content varied among species. Our study demonstrated that the size of the resprouters can be easily measured, and their biomass and carbon stock estimated; therefore, resprouters can be simply incorporated into studies of woody vegetation.

Action of manganese salt on Triticum aestivum

Specificneed in manganese is a characteristic feature of all plants. At present time, participation of this element in functioning in a number of processes and structures in the plant organism is proved. Indispensabilityof manganese as a component of plant metabolism is evidenced by death of plants aged 2–4 weeks at absolute exclusion of manganese nutrient medium, and symptoms of disorders at all levels of metabolism due to lack of this element. As opposed to symptoms of deficiency which are specific for every element, the signs of excess are more or less the same. In conditions of gradual increase of the concentration of ions as factors of influence, gradual manifestation of plant organism depression is observed: growth inhibition, root dying and leaf chlorosis, etc. Foliar feeding of grain crops including winter wheat with manganese is very important because they have a great need for such elements as manganese and copper. Efficiencyof the types of foliar feeding is connected with the mechanisms of penetration of manganese into the plant cells. Unlike other metals, manganese can be mobilized by sprouts from seed integument: metal absorption from wheat seeds lasts till the seventh day. That’s why, the aim of our work was to investigate the influence of pre-sowing processing of winter wheat seeds with solutions of different concentrations of manganese sulfate for detection of the optimal concentration and studying of phytotoxic influence of the excess manganese action. Vegetation tests were carried out in the laboratory conditions for performing the studies. Winter wheat seeds were steeped into solutions of manganese sulfate in such concentrations as 0.001%, 0.01%, 0.1%, 0.5% and 1%. After that they were couched in multi-component environment (sod-podzol soil). As a control variant, an experiment without treatment was used. The influence of different concentrations on the growth processes such as seed germination, length of the sprout, weight of the plants and their root system was estimated. It was determined that the optimal concentration of manganese sulfate for the pre-sowing processing was equal to 0.001–0.01%. The critical one, at which the phytotoxic action is manifested in growth depression and decrease of sprout biomass, is the use of 0.5–1.0% solution of manganese sulfate for the pre-sowing seed treatment.

Effects of Buoyancy and Season on Turion Dispersal of Submerged Macrophyte Potamogeton crispus L

Propagules dispersal and colonization ability are major issues of macrophyte regeneration. For submerged macrophyte Potamogeton crispus L., turion dispersal along water flow can favor the long‐distance expansion of its population; therefore, it is crucial to investigate factors that affect turion dispersal. For this purpose, we studied effects of buoyancy and season on dispersal P. crispus turions by collecting field samples from Taihu Lake, over a three‐months period (turion‐formatting season, from May to July). Germination experiments (30 days in each sampling month) revealed that the floating turions germinated earlier and faster than the sinking ones across the three sampling months. After germination, the floating turions showed higher seedling height; whereas the sinking turions accumulated more sprouts biomass. The soluble sugar, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were found higher in the floating turions. The starch concentrations remained high without buoyancy or season effects. These results indicate that both internal (e.g., buoyancy, soluble sugar, TN, and TP concentrations) and external environmental factors (e.g., light condition and temperature) may contribute to germinability and plant growth of P. crispus turions. This study offers new insights into the dispersal of asexual propagules of submerged macrophytes.

Effects of yeast polysaccharide on growth and flavonoid accumulation in Fagopyrum tataricum sprout cultures.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of yeast polysaccharide (YPS) on growth and flavonoid accumulation in sprout cultures of Fagopyrum tataricum (tartary buckwheat). Without obvious change in the appearance of the sprouts, the exogenous YPS notably stimulated the production of functional metabolites in F. tataricum sprouts, and the stimulation effect was concentration-dependent. With 400 mg/L of YPS applied to the sprout cultures on day 6, the total rutin and quercentin content was effectively increased to 42.8 mg/gdw, or about 1.4-fold in comparison with the control of 31.2 mg/gdw. Feeding with 800 mg/L of YPS on day 9, the sprouts biomass was increased by about 8% compared to the control culture (0.99 gdw/100 sprouts versus 0.92 gdw/100 sprouts). Moreover, the present study revealed that the accumulation of these bioactive metabolites resulted from the stimulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway by YPS treatment. It could be an effective strategy for improving the functional quality of the F. tataricum sprouts provided with YPS.

The Sprouting Capacity of 8–21-Year-Old Poplars and Some Practical Implications

We investigated the sprouting capacity of poplar stumps in ten 8–21-year old stands growing on former farmland in Sweden situated between 55°N and 60°N. Seven of the stands were planted with the clone OP-42 (Populus maximowiczii Henry × Populus trichocarpa Torr. and Gray), one with black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa Torr. and Gray) and two with unidentified clones. The poplars’ mean age was 17 years (range 8–21); six of the stands were growing on clay soils, two on tills and two on loam. The studied sprouts were 1–7 years old. Stump sprouting was observed in all studied stands. The number of sprouts per living stump decreased as sprout age increased. The mean dry mass of all sprouts stump−1 was 16.1 ± 14.0 (range 3.3–37.2) kg. A biomass equation was constructed for estimating sprout biomass from the sprouts’ diameter at 10 cm above the ground (D10). The mean total sprout weight per hectare for sprouts amounted to 16.9 ± 14.6 (range 1.2–41.3) tons ha−1 when calculated for the actual living stumps in the studied areas.

Efeito do BAP no cultivo in vitro de Ocimum selloi Benth

Visando promover a proliferação de brotações em segmentos apicais e nodais de Ocimum selloi em diferentes concentrações de BAP, plantas jovens de 60 dias serviram de doadoras de segmentos apicais e nodais. Os segmentos foram inoculados em meio MS preparado com a metade da concentração dos sais, e acrescido de 1,5% de sacarose e diferentes concentrações de BAP. O experimento foi conduzido no delineamento fatorial, 3 x 4, sendo 3 as posições dos segmentos de O. selloi (segmento apical, primeiro e segundo segmentos nodais) e 4 concentrações de BAP (0 - controle; 2; 4 e 6 mg L-1). Aos 30 dias, foram avaliados o número, comprimento e biomassa fresca e seca de brotos e raízes. Os primeiros e segundos segmentos apresentaram melhores resultados na indução de brotos de O. selloi, 7 e 8 brotos/explante, nas diferentes concentrações de BAP; porém, não houve formação de raízes na presença da citocinina. Nas condições testadas, recomenda-se o uso do primeiro e segundo segmento nodal suplementando o meio de cultivo com BAP para a proliferação in vitro de brotações de O. selloi.

Sprout development, biomass accumulation and fuelwood characteristics from coppiced plantations of Quercus acutissima

Abstract Sprout development, biomass production and fuelwood characteristics in coppiced plantations of sawtooth oak were evaluated at the Hongya Mountain Forest Farm in Anhui Province, China. Experimental treatments applied in a split-plot design included three stump heights (5, 50 and 100 cm) and four sprout numbers reserved on each stump (1 sprout, 2 sprouts, 4 sprouts stump −1 and check). Sprout growth and biomass production per stump were significantly affected by stump heights and sprout numbers reserved on stumps. After the third growing season, the highest total sprout biomass per stump was achieved in the treatment of 5 cm stump height with 2 sprouts reserved on stumps (H5S2, reaching 4.76 kg stump −1 ), while the lowest was found in the treatment of 100 cm stump height with no sprout thinning (only 2.82 kg stump −1 ). Different treatments also profoundly influenced gross calorific values (GCV) of the components sampled from 3-year-old sprouts and mean GCV of stem wood on an oven-dry weight basis was within the range of 18.54 and 19.87 kJ g −1 . Similar to the sprout biomass production, the greatest total and stem energy stocks per stump were observed in H5S2 treatment, achieving 90.26 and 57.08 MJ stump −1 , respectively. However, no significant differences in chemical compositions were observed for all measured traits among the treatments. Based on the results from this study, remaining stump height below 50 cm and thinning excess sprouts to reserve 2 sprouts per stump as early as age 1 could be proposed for the management of sawtooth oak coppice.