Pruning effect on nitrogen nutrient release in the root zone of Albizia lebbeck and Leucaena leucocephala

The effect of pruning on the dynamics of N release in the root zone of Albizia lebbeck and Leucaena leucocephala was studied using potted soil and minilysimeters with presterilized sand-medium supplied with N-free nutrient solution. Plants were pruned twice at 11 and 13 months and leachates were collected weekly for 16 weeks starting from first pruning, and analysed for mineral N content. Removal of plant shoots reduced nodule and root biomass by some 30–38% and halved nodule N yields, while total N yields did not differ between pruned and unpruned plants. The dynamics of N nutrient in the rhizosphere was also affected by pruning, irrespective of the growth medium. In soil culture, unpruned plants of both species maintained greater levels of total N in their rhizosphere compared to those that were pruned. In sand culture, nitrate-N was by 66–84% the predominant N form in soil leachate across the two sequential prunings. Over the 16 weeks following these prunings of A. lebbeck and L. leucocephala, cumulative mineral N in both forms was significantly higher in the root zone of unpruned plants, and was consistently greater under rhizobial inoculation. Less mineral N was released into the root zone of each species during the period after the second pruning than after the first one. L. leucocephala released significantly more N than A. lebbeck over the sampling period, but net N release beneath both species was lower than 1%, indicating that tree legumes do not release sizeable proportions of their N into root zone, and that pruning reduces their N release still further. Received: 27 September 1996     

紫薇的整形修剪及其园林应用

文章介绍了细叶紫薇的形态特征和生态习性,总结了小乔木树型、大中灌木型、矮灌木型、地被型以及盆景和其他艺术造型紫薇的整形修剪技术,并阐述了它在园林中的观赏特色与应用价值。     

甜柿枝梢开花结果特性研究

不同甜柿品种、不同枝梢类型,开花结果能力各不相同。一次梢段组成的梢其开花坐果率较低,除了利用极少数生长充实者短截补空外,其余应予以疏除;二次梢段组成的梢是坐果的主体,应尽量保留以增加坐果量;三次梢段组成的梢开花数较低,对此类梢的处理,可大年多留,小年少留,补空短剪,过密疏剪。     

Yield of bolting winter beet (Beta vulgaris L.) as affected by plant density,genotype and environment

Winter beet roots and shoots might be a favorable substrate for biogas production in Central Europe. However, detailed information about the attainable yield of this crop is lacking. Thus, the impact of plant density, genotype and environmental conditions on total dry matter yield of winter beet crops that bolt after winter was investigated. A significant increase of the dry matter yield (esp. shoot) was expected by harvesting the 1st shoot after flowering in June followed by a final harvest of the whole plant in July. In 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12, three series of field trials with (i) 3 target plant densities (148, 246, 370 thousand plants ha⁻¹) and (ii) 3 different sugar beet genotypes were conducted at Göttingen (Lower Saxony, GER) and Kiel (Schleswig-Holstein, GER); (iii), additional field trials with 5 different sugar beet genotypes cultivated at 2 target plant densities (148, 246 thousand plants ha⁻¹) were conducted in 2011/12, to investigate the relation between maximum taproot diameter and the shoot and taproot yield of bolting winter beet. The total dry matter yield considerably varied between 4 and 23 t ha⁻¹. It was predominantly affected by the environment and to a substantially lower extent by plant density. Increasing plant densities increased the total dry matter yield, resulting in a significantly higher total dry matter yield at plant densities ≥300,000 plants ha⁻¹ compared with lower plant densities. Genotypic differences in total dry matter yield were negligibly small. Pruning in June substantially increased the total dry matter yield in July by ca. 8 t ha⁻¹ only in one out of three environments.Final yield in June (without pruning) and July (pruning in June) was positively related with cumulated temperature and global radiation, but also with taproot dry matter yield before winter. The taproot, shoot (1st, 2nd) and total plant yield were positively correlated with maximum taproot diameter.In conclusion, high dry matter yields close to yields of established energy crops grown over winter were obtained with winter beet roots and shoots only under very favorable conditions (climate, single plant size). High yields can be achieved after good pre-winter development. However, for sufficient frost tolerance the taproot size of plants must be rather small. Hence, the cultivation of bolting winter beet under Central European climate conditions has to face a severe conflict of goals concerning winter survival and yield formation.     

Can pruning help maintain vitality of ash trees affected by ash dieback in urban landscapes?

Hymenoscyphus fraxineus causes a destructive invasive tree disease known as ash dieback threatening the survival of common ash not only in the forests, but also in urban and landscape settings. Pruning is a potential management practice that could help maintain tree vitality and aesthetics in parks, gardens, alleys and recreation areas, as well as maintaining veteran trees having high heritage or cultural value, or trees with high genetic importance (e.g. located in clonal seed orchards). In this study we investigated the maximum distance proximal to the lesion margin at which H. fraxineus can be detected on individual branches infected by the fungus in order to provide recommendations for pruning. Pruning of branches was carried out on 38 trees in southern Sweden. Tissue samples including bark and wood were collected from the margin of the lesion and at 5 cm intervals proximal to the lesion. Molecular analysis revealed presence of H. fraxineus in 91.3% of the investigated lesions. The proportion of lesions at which H. fraxineus could be detected declined with increasing distance from the lesion margin, with a significant reduction in the number of positive samples at 10 cm proximal to the margin. At 30 cm from the lesion edge the pathogen was never detected. Our results suggest that routine pruning may help maintain the vitality of younger trees. Pruning branches at least 35 cm from visible, active lesions in the bark should exclude the fungus and therefore reduce the probability of stem infection by H. fraxineus, however this cultural control tactic may only be economically feasible for high value amenity trees.     

红松人工林修枝技术对林木生长和干形的影响

通过对２４块红松人工林固定标准地的研究知得；修枝可显著提高林分的材积生长率并可改良林木的干形；修枝方法和侧枝粗细对切口愈合有着显著影响，一般应在侧枝较细时及时修枝，并可适当增加林分密度来限制侧枝粗度以利于修枝切口的愈合，修枝方法应采用紧贴树干平切的方法，在修枝强度上，提出了侧枝相对生长曲线法，该方法可较好地确定不同林分的修枝强度。     

间伐和修枝对白桦天然林林木生长的影响

1998年 ,对林龄为 2 0～ 30a的白桦天然林进行了不同强度的修枝和间伐处理 ,并于 2 0 0 3年春对林分生长状况进行了复查 ,结果表明 :不同强度的间伐和修枝处理对白桦天然林林木胸径生长和冠幅具有显著影响。强度修枝 (2 /3树高 )后 ,林木的胸径生长比弱度修枝降低 8%～ 10 %。中度间伐和强度间伐对保留木胸径生长和冠幅影响较为接近 ,但显著高于弱度间伐。树干解析结果表明 :间伐后 ,林分的材积生长量以中度间伐为最大 (6 .99m3 ·hm-2 ·a-1) ,强度间伐最小 (4.6 1m3 ·hm-2 ·a-1)。 5a的研究结果表明 ,林龄 2 0～ 30a的白桦天然林最适林分密度为 110 0株·hm-2 ,修枝强度不应超过 1/2树高。     

Influence of pruning frequency of Albizia lebbeck, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala on nodulation and potential nitrogen fixation

The influence of four pruning frequencies on biomass, nodulation and N₂ fixation was investigated on Albizia lebbeck, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala grown in the screenhouse for 16 months, using acetylene reduction and ¹⁵N dilution methods. Frequent prunings at 4-month intervals had no deleterious effect on symbiotic N₂ fixation, which increased in Gliricidia and Leucaena in particular. Nodulation and nitrogenase activity varied inconsistently within species, and were not influenced by pruning frequency. Cumulative assessment of pruning effect showed higher biomass, N yield and N₂-fixing capacity of the woody species than at last harvest, and appeared to have more practical relevance. Across species, cumulative total dry matter, N yields, and both percentage and absolute amount of N₂ derived from atmosphere increased with pruning frequency, except when trees were pruned 3 times. Of the three species, G. sepium had the lowest biomass production, N₂ fixation and N accumulation. Received: 25 October 1995     

Comparison of a gas detection tubes test with the traditional alkaline trap method to evaluate compost stability

Compost stability is an important parameter of compost quality. Among tests proposed to evaluate compost stability, microbial respiration is one of the better accepted tests. Variations in rates of CO₂ evolution during composting were studied in two pilot pruning waste piles using a windrow composting system. To measure the CO₂ production rate, two methods were compared: the alkaline trap test and gas detection tubes. Both respiration tests indicated increasing compost stability with processing time, but CO₂ evolution rates from the alkaline trap method were higher than values from the gas detection tube method. A first-order kinetic equation was used to describe CO₂ evolution over time. A linear relationship (r=0.81, p<0.01) was found between the two methods. Although both methods could distinguish unstable compost from stable compost, CO₂ detection tubes were easier to use and gave results in a shorter period of time.     

榆叶梅二次开花现象分析

对大通县植物园,桥头公园榆叶梅实地调查发现,榆叶梅具有第二次开花现象,通过分析榆叶梅第二次开花与榆叶梅的整形修剪以及气候有关。