Spacing affects stem form, early growth and branching in young whitewood (<i>Endospermum medullosum</i>) plantations in Vanuatu

Glencross, Kevin S; Nichols, J. Doland; Grant, John C.; Sethy, M.; Smith, Ben

doi:10.1505/146554812804715865

Cited by 8 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In the present study, the mean occluded branch diameter decreased significantly with increasing planting density. Similar findings had already been recognized in previous studies not only for OBD in Pinus sylvestris [24] and Picea abies [25] but also for the diameter of dead or live branches in Douglas-fir [35,36], Endospermum medullosum [37] and Eucalyptus pilularis and E. grandis [38]. In addition, high density planting could significantly lower the percentage of large branches as shown in the present study (Table 5).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Effect of Planting Density on Knot Attributes and Branch Occlusion of Betula alnoides under Natural Pruning in Southern China

Chun-sheng

Zhong

Hein

et al. 2015

Forests

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Knot-related defects are the major cause of timber quality degradation, and diminishing this kind of defects is an important issue in forest management. For the purpose of clear-wood production, knot attributes and branch occlusion of Betula alnoides under natural pruning were investigated in a 14-year-old experimental plantation with five planting densities ranging from 500 to 3333 stems per hectare in southern China, and a total of 1325 occluded branches from 30 trees were sampled and dissected. The mean occluded branch diameter (OBD), radius of knots and branch insertion angle (IA) decreased significantly with increasing planting density. Planting with high stocking density significantly reduced the frequency of thick occluded branches (diameter ≥ 20 mm) while increasing the frequency of small ones (diameter < 10 mm). Branch occlusion time (OT) also tended to increase with OPEN ACCESSForests 2015, 6 1344 decreasing planting density. The results of generalized linear mixed models showed that OBD was the major factor influencing OT, radius of dead portion of knot (RDP), total radius of knot (TRK) and IA. In addition, OT was positively correlated with RDP but negatively correlated with stem diameter growth rate during branch occlusion (SDGR). Silvicultural strategies with appropriate planting density for large-diameter clear-wood production of B. alnoides were discussed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Effect of Planting Density on Knot Attributes and Branch Occlusion of Betula alnoides under Natural Pruning in Southern China

Chun-sheng

Zhong

Hein

et al. 2015

Forests

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“…In the present study, planting density had no significant effect on mean branch diameter and length, and only influenced the diameter of the largest branch. This was partly different from our previous studies on mid-aged B. alnoides [21], as well as studies on B. pendula [24], several Eucalyptus species [9,37,38], and Endospermum medullosum [16]. They all illustrated that mean branch size was significantly negatively correlated with planting density.…”

Section: Branch Morphologycontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…There are numerous factors influencing branch development; for example, nutrient [11,12], genotype [13][14][15], competition [16,17], etc. The main measures regulating branch development, such as artificial pruning [8,18] and stand density control [16,17,[19][20][21], have been used in practice for a long time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main measures regulating branch development, such as artificial pruning [8,18] and stand density control [16,17,[19][20][21], have been used in practice for a long time. Planting density may have no effect on early bud formation, but it does influence subsequent growth and persistence of branches, which then affects branch occlusion [21][22][23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Branch Development of Five-Year-Old Betula alnoides Plantations in Response to Planting Density

Chun-sheng

Cheng

Hein

et al. 2018

Forests

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Branch development in the lower part of stem is critical to both early stem growth and wood quality of the most valuable section of tree, and its regulation through planting density has always been greatly concerned. Here the effect of planting density on branch development was examined in a five-year-old plantation of Betula alnoides with six planting densities (625, 833, 1111, 1250, 1667, and 2500 stems per hectare (sph)) in Guangdong Province, South China. Branch quantity (number, proportion, and density), morphology (diameter, length, and angle), position (height and orientation), and branch status (dead or alive) were investigated for 54 dominant or co-dominant trees under six treatments of planting density after the growth of each tree was measured. Factors influencing branch development were also explored by mixed modelling. The results showed that the mean tree heights of 1250 and 1667 sph treatments were higher than those of other planting density treatments. The quantity of live branches decreased with increasing planting density. However, planting density had no significant effect on the number of all branches, and there existed no remarkable difference in branch number and proportion among four orientations. As for branch morphology, only the largest branch diameter had a significantly negative correlation with planting density. In addition, high planting density significantly increased the height of the largest branch within the crown. Mixed effects models indicated that branch diameter, length, and angle were closely correlated with each other, and they were all in positively significant correlation to the branch height at the stem section below six meters. It was concluded that properly increasing planting density will promote natural pruning, improve early branch control, and be beneficial for wood production from the most valuable section of the stem.

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“…As a stand develops, spacing strongly controls branch development (Kearney et al 2007;Alcorn et al 2007), stem growth and stand competition (West 2014;Glencross et al 2012), and therefore wood quality (Smith et al 2010) and log value (Cassidy et al 2012). At wider spacing branches are free to develop to the point where logs lose much of their value and harvest and log handling becomes expensive.…”

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confidence: 99%

Effect of Initial Spacing on First Thinning Product Recovery, and Financial Outcomes in Whitewood (Endospermum medullosum) Plantations in Vanuatu

Smith

Glencross

Nichols

et al. 2015

Small-scale Forestry

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This paper investigates the products from first thinning at age 6 in Endospermum medullosum (whitewood) plantations in Vanuatu at three stocking densities, and the financial outcomes from several silvicultural thinning regimes based on these spacings. Whitewood plantings established at stockings rates of 417, 625 and 833 stems per hectare were thinned at age 6 to approximately 45 % retained basal area. The thinning products were measured during harvest and value was estimated based on costs of production and appropriate margins relative to radiata pine products already on the market. Financial modelling for the whole rotation was undertaken for each of the spacing and thinning scenarios in the trial. The volume and size of poles and posts at first thinning was related to spacing. Low stocking density produced smaller quantities of larger poles, whereas higher stocking densities produced larger quantities of smaller posts. However, the monetary value of larger products grown under lower stocking rates was less than the value of the greater volume of product at higher stocking rates. This greater volume at higher stockings resulted in higher NPV for regimes with higher initial stockings for modelled scenarios regardless of harvest age. An exception was a scenario where no market for thinnings is available. A direct silvicultural regime (i.e. one with low planting density and no thinnings) had the highest NPV due to the higher price per cubic metre of larger diameter logs, achieved more rapidly because thinning did not remove basal area. Where thinning products are marketable, higher initial planting densities provide higher returns. Where access to markets for thinning products is difficult or where infrastructure is expected to improve in the future, planting at low stocking and without any thinning provides a high return on investment.

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Spacing affects stem form, early growth and branching in young whitewood (Endospermum medullosum) plantations in Vanuatu

Cited by 8 publications

References 25 publications

Effect of Planting Density on Knot Attributes and Branch Occlusion of Betula alnoides under Natural Pruning in Southern China

Effect of Planting Density on Knot Attributes and Branch Occlusion of Betula alnoides under Natural Pruning in Southern China

Branch Development of Five-Year-Old Betula alnoides Plantations in Response to Planting Density

Effect of Initial Spacing on First Thinning Product Recovery, and Financial Outcomes in Whitewood (Endospermum medullosum) Plantations in Vanuatu

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