Initial development of andean oak in response to management in nursery and at planting

Abstract

The establishment of plantations of Quercus humboldtii is required for the development of oak restoration programs and for commercial reforestation. In this work the effect of nursery management (relative lighting and fertilization), the characteristics of the planting site (vegetation cover) and fertilization at transplant, on the initial growth of Q. humboldtii is determined. The results indicate that the vegetation cover of secondary forest presented more favorable conditions for height growth; in this cover fertilization in nursery and at planting had positive effects on height and diameter. Nutritional deficiencies acquired from the nursery decreased the development in the field. Deficiencies of N, P, and Ca were more restrictive than the deficiencies of B, Mg, S, and K. The lighting on nursery did not influence growth in this plant cover. Meanwhile, in pastures, diameter growth was higher; fertilization (in nursery and in the field) did not affect the growth of height, but in diameter. In pastures N deficiency was the most restrictive, while the S and K deficiencies were the least restrictive. Trees that grew under high lighting in nursery grew more when planted in pastures.

Keywords

• árboles tropicales
• Fagaceae
• fertilización
• luz
• pastizales
• rastrojos altos
• silvicultura de plantaciones