Effects of different mixed planting patterns on nutrient contents in Cunninghamia lanceolata

Abstract

Abstract. This paper is to study the effects of different mixed planting patterns of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) on nutrient contents in plant. One-year-old seedlings of C. lanceolata were used and mixed plantation of C. lanceolata with both Michelia macclurei and Schima superba in high planting density was observed. Four main nutrients, including potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and phosphorous (P) in plant, were determined after 18 months. The results showed that K content increased by 17.9% in root of C. lanceolata mixed with M. macclurei as compared with pure C. lanceolata plantation, while it increased by 48.4% in root, 22.6% in leaf of C. lanceolata mixed with S. superba. Ca content increased by 58.3% in root and 23.0% in stem of C. lanceolata mixed with M. macclurei, while it increased by 9.6%-42.8% in all parts of C. lanceolata mixed with S. superba. Mg content decreased in all parts of mixed plantation of C. lanceolata and M. macclurei, with 2.0%-31.1% less than that in pure C. lanceolata plantation, while Mg content decreased by 5.1% in root, 7.9% in stem and increased by 7.8% in leaf of mixed plantation of C. lanceolata and S. superba. P content increased by 17.3% in root of C. lanceolata mixed with M. macclurei, while it increased by 0.5%-32.6% in all parts of C. lanceolata mixed with S. superba. These results indicated that a mixed plantation of C. lanceolata with both M. macclurei and S. superba could improve the nutrient uptake of K, Ca and P, but was not good for Mg accumulation. A mixed plantation of C. lanceolata with S. superba showed better in above two mixed planting patterns.