Comparative Growth Performance and Eco-Physiological Response of Tree Species Grown Under Intensive Silvicultural Management Practices

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the comparative growth performance and the eco-physiological response of tree species grown under intensive silvicultural management practices (Water management, drip fertigation, pruning, and thinning operations). The tree plantation was established in October, 2017 and maintained at Forest College and Research Institute, Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, India (11° 19’ N and 77°56’ E), with an altitude of 300 m above MSL and mean annual rainfall of 920.5 mm. The study was carried out with 3m x 2m in 7 different tree species namely Neolamarckia cadamba, Acrocarpus fraxinifolius, Grewia tiliaefolia, Melia dubia, Tectona grandis, Swietenia macrophylla, and Dalbergia sissoo. The biometric (Height and Diameter at Breast Height), biochemical (Chlorophyll) and physiological parameters (Photosynthesis rate and Transpiration rate) were measured at different ages under field conditions. The tree species namely Neolamarckia cadamba, Melia dubia, and Tectona grandis recorded the highest biometric observations, chlorophyll, photosynthesis rate, and transpiration rate. It is interesting to note that, even though Tectona grandis is a long rotation tree crop, the tree perform superior growth performance in early stages. Swietenia macrophylla showed poor performance in both the biometric and physiological parameters. The present study recommended that planting fast-growing tree species with short rotation can yield maximum biomasscompared to the long rotation trees if the tree plantation is appropriately managed with intensive silvicultural operations.