Relating nutritional and physiological characteristics to growth of Pinus radiata clones planted on a range of sites in New Zealand

Abstract

Six clones of radiata pine with known differences in growth rate were examined for clonal nutritional characteristics and for physiological determinants of clonal growth rate. We compared growth, foliar characteristics and nutrient, ¹³C and ¹⁵N concentration data for the six clones in 4- to 6-year-old field trials planted over a range of nutritionally contrasting sites. These data were also compared with growth, nutrient uptake and remobilization, foliar characteristic and gas exchange data from intensive physiological glasshouse experiments using 1- and 2-year-old plants of the same clones. Significant genotype x environment interactions in our field experiments conducted over strong nutritional gradients allowed us to identify radiata pine clones with consistent, superior growth and nutritional characteristics and clones that may be suited to particular site conditions. Our results suggest that the opportunity exists to exploit clone x site variation for site-specific clonal deployment and planting of fast-growing clones could be accompanied by planting of clones able to take relative advantage of site nutritional characteristics. Faster tree growth was not strongly related to any physiological characteristic, and the factors influencing growth rate differed among clones. The fastest-growing clone had consistent, high uptake of all nutrients, high fascicle weights and high water-use efficiency.

FERTILIZACIÓN CON BORO EN PLANTACIONES DE Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake en TABASCO

“…Laboratory results for the twig + leaf component indicate that the B concentration was 62 (±1.5) 68 (±2.0) and 67 (±2.8) ppm when 0, 6 and 12 g of B, respectively, were applied. These concentrations are higher than those reported for the genus (Freitas et al, 2009) and three to five times higher than those found in other forest species fertilized with B such as T. grandis (Zhou et al, 2012) and Pinus radiata D. Don (Hawkins, Xue, Bown, & Clinton, 2010). It has been observed that fertilizing Betula pendula Roth seedlings with B can improve the concentration of this nutrient in the foliage by up to 50 % (Ruuhola, Leppanen, Julkunen-Tiitto, Rantala, & Letho, 2011).…”

“…The high B millas indican que la concentración de B fue de 62 (±1.5), 68 (±2.0) y 67 (±2.8) ppm cuando se aplicaron 0, 6 y 12 g de B, respectivamente. Estas concentraciones son mayores que las reportadas para el género (Freitas et al, 2009) y entre tres y cinco veces más altas que las encontradas en otras especies forestales fertilizadas con B como T. grandis (Zhou et al, 2012) y Pinus radiata D. Don (Hawkins, Xue, Bown, & Clinton, 2010). Se ha observado que la fertilización con B a brinzales de Betula pendula Roth puede favorecer la concentración de dicho nutrimento en el follaje hasta en 50 % (Ruuhola, Leppanen, Julkunen-Tiitto, Rantala, & Letho, 2011).…”

Variation in biomass distribution and nutrient content in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) clones having contrasting crown architecture and growth efficiency

“…However, research on the genetic architecture of nutrient traits is sorely lacking, and nutrient traits are likely independently inherited (Beets and Jokela, 1994;Garcia et al, 1997;Xu et al, 2003), so substantial additional research would be necessary before breeding for those traits could be seriously considered. In addition, genotype x environment interaction for nutritional traits has been demonstrated for both P. radiata (Hawkins et al, 2010) and P. taeda (Tyree et al, 2009a) clones, which highlights the importance of incorporating multiple sites and treatments for making wider genetic inferences. Table 6 Mean microelement concentrations (mg/kg) in foliage, bark, stemwood, non-foliated branches (NFB) and foliated branches (FB).…”

Separating species and environmental determinants of leaf functional traits in temperate rainforest plants along a soil-development chronosequence

“…An important question challenging biologists is the extent to which traits reflect evolutionary history (manifested as genotypic/taxonomic variation -G) and/or phenotypic responses to the environment (E) (Strand and Weisner 2004). This question has implications for agriculture and forestry (Hawkins et al 2010) and evolutionary ecology (Miner et al 2005), especially in cases where plastic responses can be shown to be adaptive. Evolutionary ecologists consider that trait plasticity is under genetic control, not independent of it (Schlichting, 1986).…”