Variation analysis of growth traits of four poplar clones under different water and fertilizer management

Abstract

To determine appropriate quantities of water and fertilizer required for early growth of hybrid poplar cuttings, we recorded the growth traits of four clones grown under four factors (irrigation and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers), each with four levels, using an orthogonal experimental design. A logistic model was used to estimate growth in height. The growth curves for tree height were sigmoid, and the model R ² values were greater than 0.9, which indicated that the fit was highly significant. ANOVA results for tree height and basal diameter indicated that all sources of variance showed significant differences (p < 0.001). The average tree height and basal diameter for all the four clones under the different treatments ranged from 155.39 to 235.04 cm, and from 13.71 to 17.42 mm, respectively. A highly positive correlation between the extreme k value and tree height was observed, suggesting that the k value was an accurate estimation of tree height. For model parameters, the earliest average time point for the onset of the rapid growth period of poplar clones was 131 d, and the highest average increment in tree height during the rapid growth period was 138.78 cm. The highest average tree height for all clones under each factor was 219, 210.51, 200, and 201 cm when treated with either 1200 mL of water applied every third day, 3 g of nitrogen, 0 g of phosphorus, or 0 g of potassium, respectively. The most suitable treatment for the early growth of hybrid poplar cuttings, as suggested by the developed logistic model, was 1200 mL of water applied every third day and three applications of 1 g nitrogen (in the form of CH₄N₂O).

Keywords

Fertilizer management / Growth trait / Logistic model / Poplar / Rapid growth / Variation

References

[1] Avanza M, Bramardi S, Mazza S. Statistical models to describe the fruit growth pattern in sweet orange ‘Valencia late’. Span J Agric Res, 2008, 6(4): 577-585.

[2] Cooke JE, Marttin TA, Davis JM. Short term physiological and developmental responses to nitrogen availability in hybrid poplar. New Phytol, 2005, 167(1): 41-52.

[3] Dong WY, Qin J, Li JY, Zhao Y, Nie LS, Zhang ZY. Interactions between soil water content and fertilizer on growth characteristics and biomass yield of Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa Carr.) seedlings. Soil Sci Plant Nutr, 2011, 57(2): 303-312.

[4] Elferjani R, Des RA, Tremblay F. DRIS-based fertilization efficiency of young hybrid poplar plantations in the boreal region of Canada. New For, 2013, 44(4): 487-508.

[5] Fourcaud T, Zhang X, Stokes A, Lambers H, Körner C. Plant growth modelling and applications the increasing importance of plant architecture in growth models. Ann Bot, 2008, 101(8): 1053-1063.

[6] Guillemette T, Des RA. Early growth and nutrition of hybrid poplars fertilized at planting in the boreal forest of western Quebec. For Ecol Manag, 2008, 255(7): 2981-2989.

[7] Hansen J, Roulund H. Genetic parameters for spiral grain, stem form, pilodyn and growth in 13 years old clones of Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.). Silvae Genetica, 1997, 46: 107-113.

[8] Hart QJ, Tittmann PW, Bandaru V, Jenkins BM. Modeling poplar growth as a short rotation woody crop for biofuels in the Pacific Northwest. Biomass Bioenerg, 2015, 79: 12-27.

[9] Herault B, Bachelot B, Poorter L, Rossi V, Bongers F, Chave JM. Functional traits shape ontogenetic growth trajectories of rain forest tree species. J Ecol, 2011, 99(6): 1431-1440.

[10] Isebrands J, Rosemeier D, Wyatt G, Zamora D, Brainerd MM. Best management practices poplar manual for agroforestry applications in Minnesota, 2007, Washington: USDA 28 29

[11] Lasa B, Jauregui I, Aranjuelo I, Sakalauskiene S, Aparicio PM. Influence of stage of development in the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization on poplar. J Plant Nutr, 2016, 39(1): 87-98.

[12] Liu M, Bian X, Ma WJ, Shao LT, Yao LX, Meng BN, Liu GF, Zhao XY. Logistic model Building of seedling growth traits in Transgene Populus simonii ×  P. nigra clones carrying TaLEA gene. Bull Bot Res, 2014, 34(4): 485-491.

[13] Martins FB, Soares CP, Silva GF. Individual tree growth models for Eucalyptus in northern Brazil. Scientia Agricola, 2014, 71(3): 212-225.

[14] Pitre FE, Cooke JE, Mackay JJ. Short-term effects of nitrogen availability on wood formation and fibre properties in hybrid poplar. Trees, 2007, 21(2): 249-259.

[15] Pliura A, Zhang SY, Mackay J, Bousquet J. Genotypic variation in wood density and growth traits of poplar hybrids at four clonal trials. For Ecol Manag, 2007, 238: 92-106.

[16] Sharma RP, Vacek Z, Vacek S, Jansa V, Kucera M. Modelling individual tree diameter growth for Norway spruce in the Czech Republic using a generalized algebraic difference approach. For Sci, 2017, 63: 227-238.

[17] Singh B, Sharma K. Tree growth and nutrient status of soil in a poplar (Populus deltoides Bartr.)-based agroforestry system in Punjab, India. Agrofor Syst, 2007, 70(2): 125-134.

[18] Toillon J, Fichot R, Dallé E, Berthelot A, Brignolas F, Marron N. Planting density affects growth and water-use efficiency depending on site in Populus deltoides ×  P. nigra. For Ecol Manag, 2013, 304: 345-354.

[19] Van DR, Thomas BR, Kamelchuk DP. Effects of N, NP, and NPKS fertilizers applied to four-year old hybrid poplar plantations. New Forest, 2008, 35(3): 221-233.

[20] Wang Y, Xi BY, Bloomberg M, Moltchanova E, Li GD, Jia LM. Response of diameter growth, biomass allocation and N uptake to N fertigation in a triploid Populus tomentosa plantation in the north China plain: ontogenetic shift does not exclude plasticity. Eur J For Res, 2015, 134(5): 889-898.

[21] Wang Y, Liu Y, Li GL, Hu JW, Lou JS, Wan FF. Effect of container types and sizes on water consumption and growth of containerized Pinus tabulaeformis seedling under sub-irrigation. Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2016, 52: 10-17.

[22] Wang ZG, Su YP, Zhang Y, Guo HS, Meng DF, Wang Y. Ecology-types determine physicochemical properties and microbial communities of sediments obtained along the Songhua River. Biochem Syst Ecol, 2016, 66: 312-318.

[23] Yang B. Studies on annual growth model of willow at seeding stage. J N For Univ, 2006, 21: 97-99.

[24] Zabek LM, Prescott CE. Steady-state nutrition of hybrid poplar grown from un-rooted cuttings. New For, 2007, 34(1): 13-23.

[25] Zhang YM, Gai JY. The parameters estimation of logistic model. J Sichuan Inst Anim Husb Vet, 1994, 8: 47-52.

[26] Zhao Y. Studies on effects of fertilization on hybrid clone seedlings of Populus tomentosa. Doctor Dissertation of Beijing Forestry University, 2010, Beijing: Beijing Forestry University.

[27] Zhao XY, Zhang ZY. Model construction of seedling growth for hybrid clones of Populus tomentosa. J Beijing For University, 2013, 35(5): 15-21.

[28] Zhao XY, Bian XY, Liu MR, Li ZX, Li Y, Zheng M, Teng WH, Jiang J, Liu GF. Analysis of genetic effects on a complete diallel cross test of Betula platyphylla. Euphytica, 2014, 200: 221-229.

[29] Zhou YM, Xie ZS, Liu SQ, Liu XT. The application of logistic model on growth process estimation of Eucalyptus. J Nanjing For Univ, 2004, 28(6): 107-110.