Effects of calcium boron and nitrogen fertilizati

Authors: Zaizhi Zhou Kunnan Liang Daping Xu Yuchen Zhang Guihua Huang Huaming Ma

Publish Date: 2011/06/28

Volume: 43, Issue: 2, Pages: 231-243

PDF Link

Abstract

Many teak plantations are established on acidic soils with low nutrient availability There is also poor documentation of nutrient budgets for teak therefore a pot experiment with optimal hybrid regression design Roquemore R311A was implemented with calcium boron and nitrogen treatments with teak seedlings Tectona grandis Lf planted in acidic lateritic red soil substrate Seedling growth biomass production and root development and soil pH and exchangeable Ca and Al concentration were measured Plant height root collar diameter biomass of leaves stems and roots root volume taproot length number of lateral roots of teak seedlings were significantly and positively correlated with soil exchangeable Ca pH and Ca/Al molar ratio and negatively correlated with exchangeable Al All growth traits were significantly affected by calcium nitrogen and their interaction but B fertilizer and other interactions had insignificant effects To effectively cultivate teak seedlings in acidic soil substrates 168 g kg−1 quicklime CaO and 065 g kg−1 urea was suggested to be added to neutralize soil acidity and enhance soil exchangeable Ca content and Ca/Al molar ratio Urea should not be added without quicklimeThis study was financially supported by the Teak Cultivation Project of Chinese National Forestry Administration 2006BAD24B0901 and Teak Clone Extension and Demonstration Project in Guizhou Province 2010GB24320625 The authors were greatly indebted to Prof Zhong ChongluResearch Institute of Tropical Forestry Chinese Academy Forestry and Prof Bernard Dell Murdoch University Australia for their valuable comments on the draft manuscript

Keywords: