Journal article
Factors controlling individual branch development during early growth of an experimental plantation of Eucalyptus pilularis in sub-tropical Australia
Trees, Vol.35(2), pp.395-405
2021
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Abstract
Diameter at base, orientation, and height up the stem of live branches on the lower 5 m of tree stems were measured several times over 2.5–5.7 years of age in an experimental plantation of blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) in sub-tropical
eastern Australia. Stocking density at planting varied over 816–1667 stems ha-1 and rectangularity of planting (ratio of
distance between rows to distance between trees within rows) over 1–6. Tree stem diameters, heights and crown dimensions
were also measured. The height above ground at which branches emerged from the stem was a primary factor determining
their growth; the higher they were, the greater was their diameter and the more vertical their orientation. This was believed
to refect both a need for newer branches to grow larger than older branches, to support greater amounts of foliage as the
crowns expanded towards full size, and for branches to be better oriented to seek sunlight as the crowns of surrounding trees
also expanded. Secondary factors determining branch size were tree size and spacing between trees, factors that are likely
to interact with each other. Larger trees tended to have larger branches, to support more leaf weight in larger crowns. The
direction of emergence of branches from stems seemed little afected by tree or stand characteristics at these early stages
of tree development. The results did not suggest any need to modify existing pruning regimes that have been developed for
fast-growing eucalypt plantations in Australia
Details
- Title
- Factors controlling individual branch development during early growth of an experimental plantation of Eucalyptus pilularis in sub-tropical Australia
- Creators
- P. W West (Author) - Southern Cross UniversityD. A Ratkowsky (Author) - University of TasmaniaR. G. B Smith (Author) - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Trees, Vol.35(2), pp.395-405
- Publisher
- Springer
- Identifiers
- 991012925446302368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Forest Research Centre; Science; Emeritus Faculty
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article