Growth response of four tropical plantation timber species to increasing phosphorus supply and assessment of phosphorus requirements using foliar analysis

• Published in: New forests Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 193 - 211
• Main Authors: Webb, M.J, Reddell, P, Hambleton, A, Robson, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Kluwer 01-09-2000; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; application rate; Artificial regeneration. Forest nurseries. Planting; Biological and medical sciences; Castanospermum australe; Cedrela odorata; Fertilizers; Flindersia brayleyana; Foliage; forest plantations; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; mineral content; Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium fertilizations; nutrient availability; nutrient requirements; Paleozoic; phosphates; Phosphorus; Phosphorus fertilization; Plant growth; Plant species; Plantations; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Sowing and planting; species differences; Sustainable development; Trees; Tropical environments; Queensland; Australia; Oceania; Tropical wood; Growth; Soil fertility; Tropical zone; Forest soil; Cedrela odorata; Phosphate fertilizer; Phosphorus fertilization; Inorganic element; Field experiment; Tropical soil; Mineral fertilization; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Native species; Foliar analysis; Introduced species; Nutrition; Agathis robusta; Phosphorus; Tropical forest; Meliaceae; Forecasting; Nutrient requirement; High value; Artificial forest stand; Wood line; Forestry; Castanospermum australe; Spermatophyta; FLINDERSIA BRAYLEYANA
• ISSN: 0169-4286; 1573-5095
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1006756105284

An understanding of the comparative nutritional requirements of important timber species is fundamental in the development of sustainable systems for the production of wood from plantations on many infertile, highly weathered soils in the humidtropics. We established a field experiment comparing the responses of four highly-valued cabinet timber species (Cedrela odorata, Agathis robusta, Flindersia brayleyana and Castanospermumaustrale) to phosphate fertiliser on a soil very low in chemically extractable phosphorus (4 mg P/kg soil). Similar soils derived from Palaeozoic metasedimentsare widespread throughout the humid tropics of northern Australia, south-east Asia and the south-western Pacific, and are typical of those on many sites available for plantation forestry in the region. Phosphorus fertiliser treatments (ranging from 0 to 300 g P/tree) were applied soon after planting to all four species, as was a basal fertiliser dressing supplying adequate levels of all other mineral nutrients. Two species (F. brayleyana and C. australe) maintained good growth even without additional P and showed little or no response in growth or foliar P concentration to increased P supply. The other two species (C. odorata and A. robusta) responded strongly in both growth and foliar P concentration to increasing P supply. In these responsive species, chemical analysis of foliage at 17 months after planting was shown to have potential diagnostic and prognostic value. Phosphorus concentrations less than 0.30% dry matter (DM) in the petiole plus rachis of young mature leaves of C. odorata, and less than 0.19% DM in the distal needle leaves of A. robusta, were associated with diminished growth of these two species both at the time of sampling and 21 months later. The results indicate that there are significant differences in the ability of tropical tree species toacquire and use phosphorus, and consequently thatsimple prescriptive applications of phosphorusfertiliser to young plantations, irrespective of soiltype or tree species, are often inefficient.