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.     

紫薇的繁殖与管理

本文阐述了紫薇的繁殖培育方法及苗木的修剪管理技术。     

Fine root and nodule dynamics of Erythrina poeppigiana in an alley cropping system in Costa Rica

Fine root and nodule production and turnover in pruned 2- and 8-yr-old Erythrina poeppigiana (Walp.) O.F. Cook trees were estimated under humid tropical conditions by applying the compartment flow model (CFM) to fine root and nodule biomass and necromass measured in sequentially taken core samples. Shoot pruning intensities compared were complete pruning (i.e., complete removal of shoots) and partial pruning (i.e., retention of one branch on the pruned stump). The CFM provided reasonable estimates of nodule dynamics but did not apply to fine root data. Over a five-month observation period, nodule production in completely and partially pruned 2-yr-old trees was 58.2 and 115 g tree^–1, respectively, and the corresponding values in 8-yr-old trees were 26.8 and 26.4 g tree^–1. Senescent nodules and fine roots pass to soil organic matter via decomposition. Partially and completely pruned 2-yr-old trees added 95.4 and 50.4 g tree^–1 decomposed nodules to soil, respectively. The respective value for 8-yr-old trees were 26.7 and 36.5g tree^–1. Nodule and fine root turnover was compensated for by new production at 10–14 weeks after pruning. The retention of a branch on the pruned E. poeppigiana tree stump allows better fine root and nodule survival, and enhances tree biomass production.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The effects of fresh and stabilized pruning wastes on the biomass,structure and activity of the soil microbial community in a semiarid climate

The incorporation of organic amendments from pruning waste into soil may help to mitigate soil degradation and to improve soil fertility in semiarid ecosystems. However, the effects of pruning wastes on the biomass, structure and activity of the soil microbial community are not fully known. In this study, we evaluate the response of the microbial community of a semiarid soil to fresh and composted vegetal wastes that were added as organic amendments at different doses (150 and 300 t ha⁻¹) five years ago. The effects on the soil microbial community were evaluated through a suite of different chemical, microbiological and biochemical indicators, including enzyme activities, community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA). Our results evidenced a long-term legacy of the added materials in terms of soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity. For instance, cellulase activity reached 633 μg and 283 μg glucose g⁻¹ h⁻¹ in the soils amended with fresh and composted waste, respectively. Similarly, bacterial biomass reached 116 nmol g⁻¹ in the soil treated with a high dose of fresh waste, while it reached just 66 nmol g⁻¹ in the soil amended with a high dose of composted waste. Organic amendments produced a long-term increase in microbiological activity and a change in the structure of the microbial community, which was largely dependent on the stabilization level of the pruning waste but not on the applied dose. Ultimately, the addition of fresh pruning waste was more effective than the application of composted waste for improving the microbiological soil quality in semiarid soils.     

Dynamic modulus of elasticity and bending properties of young Taiwania trees grown with different thinning and pruning treatments

The effects of different thinning and pruning methods on the bending strength and dynamic modulus of elasticity (DMOE) of young Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides Hay) were investigated. The average DMOE, modulus of elasticity (MOE), and modulus of rupture (MOR) in the thinning treatments showed the following trend: no thinning > medium thinning > heavy thinning. This indicates that thinning reduces average bending properties. The average DMOE, MOE, and MOR in the pruning treatments showed the following trend: medium pruning > no pruning > heavy pruning. According to this tendency, better average qualities of lumber and specimens were from wood subjected to no-thinning and medium-pruning treatments according to an ultrasonic wave technique and static bending tests. However, most results showed no statistically significant differences among thinning, pruning, and thinning and pruning treatments. The average values of DMOE, MOE, and MOR of visually graded construction-grade lumber were significantly greater than those of below-grade lumber. Moreover, there were very significant positive relationships between density, ultrasonic velocity, DMOE, MOE, and MOR, although the determination coefficients were small.     

麻疯树2年生人工林构筑型对修枝与土壤肥沃性的响应

本文首次采用固定枝级划分方法,试验研究了麻疯树构筑型对土壤肥沃性的响应,并探究了构型调控效果的资源反应。结果表明:1)土壤肥沃时麻疯树分枝率高、分枝角度小、枝长较长,构型为密集型;土壤瘠薄时麻疯树分枝率低、分枝角度大、枝长较短,构型为游击型;2)人为修枝也没有明显影响构型对土壤肥沃性的响应策略,但却显著增加了肥沃生境下构型的密集性(30→22°);3)人为修枝改变了贫瘠生境下一级枝长度、一级枝枝径与二级枝长度,具有壮枝作用,而对肥沃生境树体枝条大小影响不明显(二级枝枝径例外);4)据分析,同龄顶芽间距离为间隔子,分枝间夹角为分枝角度,分枝率是分枝强度,类似于克隆植物构型;5)构型枝级划分采用了固定枝序法确定,主干分枝为一级枝,一级枝分支为二级枝,增加了枝级的稳定性,与传统枝级划分方法相反;6)分析还发现,麻疯树构型对资源异质性的响应根源在于一级枝分枝角度,该参数塑造了游击性与密集性的构型特性。     

日光温室内辣椒剪枝再生栽培技术初探

为解决山西北部地区常规日光温室栽培辣椒只能春提前、秋延后生产,无法进行越冬茬栽培的问题,根据辣椒成株较幼苗耐低温能力强且具有再生能力的特点,探索了辣椒日光温室剪枝再生栽培技术。结果辣椒可跨越两个年头生产,单产达22.5万kg/hm2。     

枣树几种修剪方法的对比研究

试验比较了盛果期灰枣树对不同修剪方法的反应。结果表明,枣树连年修剪,根的数量、冠幅、干周均大于(牙刂)枣处理树。萌发枣头的数量、质量和抽生有效枣拐的数量等也表现出相似的结果。修剪树有效枣股数多于(牙刂)枣树,差异显著;百果鲜重较(牙刂)枣处理多40.1g,单株产量提高15.3%。叶片总糖和全氮测定结果:修剪处理在6月下旬含量较高,此时正值枣吊、枣头生长,花芽分化,开花和幼果发育的关键时期,这对树体的生长发育和产量提高都起到良好的作用;其次,修剪与环切结合的效果优于修剪+(牙刂)枣,但次于修剪处理。     

Impact of artificial pruning on growth and secondary shoot development of wild cherry (Prunus avium L.)

Producing high value veneer wood requires that the tree bole be branch-free. This can be accomplished by natural or artificial pruning. Since wild cherry does not self prune well, pruning artificially is the only practical option. The study analysed the effect of conventional whorl-wise pruning and selective pruning, on height growth, diameter growth and secondary shoot development of wild cherry. Four pruning treatments were applied on cherry trees in summer 2007, one group of cherries was left unpruned to serve as a control: treatment C1 (upper 5 whorls left), C2 (upper 3 whorls left), S1 (removal of branches larger than 3 cm or with an angle to the stem < 40°), S2 (removal of branches larger than 2 cm or with an angle to the stem < 40°), N (unpruned). Data showed that height growth was not affected by pruning. In contrast, diameter growth at breast height of the C2 pruned cherry was reduced by approximately 5% (SE = 2.7%) in the year of pruning (trees were pruned in July). This pruning treatment produced significant (p = 0.028) nine percent less diameter growth than the control in the second year following pruning. The diameter increment of the C1 pruned trees with five whorls left after pruning and the selective pruned cherries were only about 4% (SE = 4.0%) smaller than the control after two years. This loss was statistically not significant. Analyses showed that on selective pruned trees the survival rate of secondary shoots was significantly reduced compared to those on whorl-wise pruned trees. Significant differences in the size of the secondary shoots were only found between the C1 and S1 (p < 0.05) pruned trees. We did not find differences in the total number of secondary shoots per tree among pruning treatments. Solely from a tree growth perspective, the moderate whorl-wise pruning treatment C1 and the selective prunings were equally effective in minimizing the reduction of diameter growth and are recommended in practice. However it was found that the survival of secondary shoots was reduced on selective pruned trees although the amount of pruning work needed in selective pruning was slightly greater than conventional moderate pruning.     

太湖流域西部丘陵茶园修剪前后蒸散速率的比较分析

为了评估太湖流域土地利用类型之一——茶园的生态系统水量调节能力,探究茶园修剪前后土壤植被大气连续体水分传输过程中的蒸散过程,在太湖流域西部丘陵地区西渚镇盛道茶场,选择3年和9年2种不同植茶年龄的茶园,通过静态箱/红外气体分析仪监测茶园水汽浓度,比较分析茶株修剪前、后茶园蒸散速率的变化。结果表明:茶园修剪前后与未经修剪茶园蒸散速率日变化趋势一致,蒸散速率呈以12:00为峰值的单峰曲线,但茶株修剪后蒸散速率大幅下降,3年茶园蒸散速率日均值下降幅度(36.73%)小于9年茶园(48.32%),植茶年龄的增加会加大修剪后蒸散速率的下降幅度;茶园修剪前后日均气温相近、土壤含水量较高,两者均不是茶园修剪后蒸散速率大幅下降的限制因子,而茶株被剪掉的枝、叶覆盖在茶株间,增加了株间土壤的荫蔽,降低了土壤的蒸发作用,并且茶株高度的降低,可能导致界面层导度减小,减少了水分从茶株向大气的传输,从而降低蒸散作用。