IIICFRICFR Mpumalanga Regional Interest Group Field Day
Date: Tuesday 10 ththth October 2006 Venue: Westfalia, Tzaneen Time: 09h30 for 10h00
PROGRAMME
09h30 TEA/COFFEE INDOOR PRESENTATIONS
10h00 Welcome and Introduction to events of the day Botha Maree HMH Francois 10h10 Self-regulation in Timber transport and PBS vehicles. ICFR Oberholzer Investigating the environmental adaptation of promising sub-tropical and cold-tolerant eucalypt species in the warm 10h40 Robin Gardner ICFR temperate climate zone of KwaZulu-Natal: four year trial results Commercial deployment of weed control standards in South 11h10 Keith Little ICFR Africa. Silvicultural regimes practised by Northern Timbers for saw 11h40 Louis van Zyl HMH log production. Drive to Christinasrust plantation passing the Merensky
Show block INININ-IN ---FIELDFIELD PRESENTATIONS Effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium applied after 12h20 2nd thinning, on the growth of a Eucalyptus grandis Janine Campion ICFR sawtimber stand. 13h00 Lunch at Westfalia sponsored by Northern Timbers. The interaction of pit size x water quantity x method of 14h00 application on the early survival and growth of eucalypts. Keith Little ICFR Visit to ICFR trial. Drive to Noordewenke plantation. Comparative results of CSIR developed eucalypt hybrid 14h30 Botha Maree HMH species grown for saw log production.
The next ICFR Regional Interest Group Field Day will be held at Weza, in KwaZuluKwaZulu----NatalNatal on 119999ththth October 2006
For more information contact: Keith Little ( ([email protected])[email protected]) o orr Sally Upfold ([email protected])
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 1 SelfSelf----regulationregulation initiative to address heavy vehicle overloading in South AfricaAfrica....
Francois Oberholzer ([email protected]) Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, P O Box 100281, Scottsville 3209
Overloading of road transport vehicles poses a serious threat to the sustainability of the timber industry. It leads to accelerated infrastructure deterioration, increasing the cost to move freight. The Road Transport Management System (formerly known is LAP) is a project that was launched in 2003 in the timber industry to combat overloading, but also to improve driver wellness and vehicle fitness. Several other industry sectors have joined the initiative, including the Chamber of Mines, South African Aggregate and Sand Producers Association, South African Bitumen Association, The Road Freight Association and African Trucking Association. Overloading has dropped by 40% in the timber industry as a result of the project.
Two concessions have been granted to accredited operators, namely “Weigh-Less” and Performance Based Standards for Heavy Vehicles (PBS). “Weigh-less” allows accredited operators to receive preferential treatments at provincial weighbridges, i.e . they will be stopped less frequently at the discretion of the traffic officials. The timber industry has also secured the right to design, build and operate two PBS vehicles. These vehicles will be designed outside the current prescriptive legislation, but with inherent safer and more efficient design features. These vehicles will also not violate any of the regulations designed to protect the road infrastructure. The GCM of these vehicles would be between 60 and 65 tons, with a total length of not more than 25 metres.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 2 Investigating the environmental adaptatiadaptationon of promisingpromising subsub----tropicaltropical and coldcold----toleranttolerant eucalypt species in the warm temperate cliclimatemate zone of KwaZuluKwaZulu----Natal:Natal: four year trial results
Robin A W Gardner ([email protected]) Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, P O Box 100281, Scottsville 3209
Introduction During the past three decades the ICFR has carried out extensive site-species interaction research for the South African forestry industry. By the turn of the previous century, a limited number of promising alternative eucalypt species had been identified for potential future commercial forestry application in sub-tropical, coastal Zululand and Maputaland (Gardner, 2001a; Gardner, 2004) and cold, high altitude areas of Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and northern Eastern Cape provinces (Schönau and Gardner, 1991; Gardner, 2001b). However, uncertainty still existed about the environmental adaptability of these species, e.g. the approximate upper and lower mean annual temperature (MAT) thresholds for the different species were unknown. Without this information, it was not possible to make informed site-species matching decisions regarding the new species. To address these issues, a series of trials was established across a range of sites in the warm temperate climate zone (Smith et al . 2005) of KwaZulu-Natal during February 2001( Table 1 ). Included in the trial series were all the sub-tropical and cold-tolerant eucalypt species previously identified as highly promising in earlier ICFR site-species interaction trials (Table 2 ).
Table 1 Site details for the site-species interaction trials established in the warm temperate climate zone of KwaZulu-Natal during 2001.
Experiment / plantation name Rockvale Riverdale Rooipoort Eersteling District Highflats Richmond Babanango Paulpietersburg
Landowner Masonite Sappi Mondi Shanduka Mondi Shanduka o o o o Latitude 30 12' 39” S 29 53' 26" S 28 24' 17" S 27 33' 39" S o o o o Longitude 30 06' 01" E 30 24' 40" E 31 05' 43" E 30 50' 32" E Altitude (m) 1100 890 1300 1080 Median & (mean) annual rainfall (mm) * 825 (836) 875 (898) 1066 (1079) 828 (838) o Mean annual temperature ( C) * 16.3 17.4 15.7 18.2 Soil classification ** Kranskop 1100 Glenrosa 1111 Magwa 1100 Hutton 1200 Soil depth (cm) 120 55 - 75 40 - 50 85 - 120 Previous crop E. grandis pulpwood E. grandis pulpwood P. elliottii pulpwood E. grandis pulpwood Planting date 08 February 2001 06 February 2001 22 February 2001 14 February 2001
* Schulze (1997) ** Soil Classification working Group (1991)
EEExperimentalExperimental Design & Treatments: ••• Treatments (30 per trial): various eucalypt species and provenances ( Table 2 ). ••• Trial layout: 3 replications of a 6 x 5 rectangular lattice. ••• Trial plots: whole = 5 x 6 (30 trees); inner sample = 3 x 4 trees (12 trees). ••• Tree spacing: 2.0 m x 3.0 m. ••• Buffer rows: 2 rows of E. dunnii around each trial.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 3 Table 2 OOOrigin O and representation of seedlots in the site-species interaction trials established in the warm temperate climate zone of KwaZulu-Natal during 2001.
Description of origins Representation in trials ( = represented, x = not represented) Species and seedlot number Locality Lat (S) Long (E) Alt (m) Seedlot abbreviation # Rockvale Riverdale Rooipoort Eersteling C. citriodora 18062 2 Expedition Range (QLD) 24 0 37’ 149 0 02’ 400 cit 18062 x x C. henryi 10250 2 SF 616 Lockyer (QLD) 27 0 17’ 152 0 10’ 150 hen 10250 x x C. henryi 13572 2 South of Grafton (NSW) 29 0 45’ 152 0 58’ 85 hen 13572 C. henryi ZLD bulk Bulk of 12 trees ex -SGE34 (RSA) - - - hen ZLD x x x C. maculata 11187 2 SF 393 Woondum (QLD) 26 0 09’ 159 0 29’ 400 mac 11187 x x x C. maculata 16360 2 SW of Warwick (QLD) 28 0 23’ 151 0 42’ 750 mac 16360 x C. maculata 558 3 2 Richmond Range SF (NSW) 28 0 22’ 152 0 27’ 20 mac5583 x x E. acmenoides 15606 2 26.9km SE of Gympie (QLD) 26 0 18’ 152 0 49’ 385 acm 15606 E. acmenoides 17515 2 Blackdown Tableland (QLD) 23 0 49’ 149 0 02’ 800 acm 17515 x x x E. badjensis 19424 2 Badja SF (NSW) 36 0 08’ 149 0 32’ 1100 bad 19424 E. badjensis 19605 2 Brown Mt (NSW) 36 0 38’ 149 0 26’ 1000 bad 19605 E. benthamii 19282 2 Kedumba Valley (NSW) 33 0 49’ 150 0 23’ 140 ben 19282 E. benthamii 19374 2 Bents River Basin (NSW) 33 0 52’ 150 0 38’ 40 ben 19374 E. bitur binata 19809 2 Girard SF (NSW) 28 0 58’ 152 0 15’ 800 bit 19809 E. biturbinata 19812 2 Chaelundi SF (NSW) 29 0 57’ 152 0 22’ 750 bit 19812 E. cypellocarpa 19798 2 Nullo SF (NSW) 32 0 45’ 150 0 12’ 990 cyp 19798 x E. deanei 18733 2 Mt Spira bo SF29 (NSW) 29 0 21’ 152 0 04’ 1100 dea 18733 E. deanei 19281 2 Kedumba Valley (NSW) 33 0 49’ 150 0 23’ 140 dea 19281 E. dorrigoensis VRD97/06 2 Tyringham via Dorrigo (NSW) 30 0 16’ 152 0 37’ 680 dor VRD97/06 x E. globulus ssp . bicostata 18587 2 Walcha SF (NSW) 30 0 55’ 152 0 00’ 925 bic 18587 x E. globulus ssp . maidenii 18728 2 Bolaro Mt (NSW) 35 0 40’ 150 0 02’ 380 mai 18728 x E. longirostrata 11168 2 SF 197 Diamondy (QLD) 26 0 21’ 151 0 10’ 400 lon 11168 x E. longirostrata 15637 2 NW of Monto (QLD) 24 0 49’ 150 0 57’ 500 lon 15637 E. moluccana 15877 2 SF 302 Ballon (QLD) 26 0 27’ 150 0 49’ 325 mol 15877 E. nobilis 19800 2 Nullo SF (NSW) 32 0 45’ 150 0 12’ 1115 nob 19800 E. nobilis 19805 2 Mt Kaputar NP (NSW) 30 0 17’ 150 0 08’ 1250 nob 19805 E. oreades 17344 2 Newnes SF (NSW) 33 0 24’ 150 0 13’ 1000 ore 17344 x E. pilularis 13537 2 10km W Beerburrum (QLD) 26 0 57’ 152 0 52’ 40 pil 13537 x x x E. punctata 19352 2 Wingello SF (NSW) 34 0 45’ 15 00 11’ 550 pun 19352 E. punctata 19797 2 Nullo SF (NSW) 32 0 45’ 150 0 12’ 1070 pun 19797 E. saligna 17750 2 Kenilworth SF (QLD) 26 0 40’ 152 0 36’ 575 sal 17750 E. volcanica 19804 2 Mt Kaputar NP (NSW) 30 0 17’ 150 0 08’ 1130 vol 19804 x x CONTROLS: E. camaldulensis 16720 2 Petford area (QLD) 17 0 24’ 145 0 02’ 590 cam 16720 x x x E. dunnii 10356 1 Commercial S.O bulk (RSA) - - - dun 10356 E. grandis M7849 1 Commercial S.O bulk (RSA) - - - gra M7849 E. m acarthurii J/Vale 1 Commercial S.O bulk (RSA) - - - mac J/Vale x E. smithii 10040 1 Commercial S.O bulk (RSA) - - - smi 10040 x E. tereticornis 17761 2 Spicers Gap S.F. (QLD) 28 0 03’ 152 0 24’ 675 ter 17761 x x x E. urophylla M9254 1 Zul uland S.O. bulk (RSA) - - - uro M9254 x x
1 Commercial seed orchard bulk. 2 Imported, unimproved Australian seedlot. # abbreviation used in Tables in field presentation.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 4 Take home points (based on 48 ---month tree height and basal area):
Commercial ccontrontrontrolol species: Eucalyptus grandis and E. dunnii are the two top-performing commercial control species across all sites. Eucalyptus smithii is the 3 rd best control, but suffered significant mortalities from Phytophthora root-rot disease at the warmest site, Eersteling (MAT 18.2 0 C). Eucalyptus macarthurii was 4 th best control, but performed poorly at the warm Eersteling site. However, no problems with diseases or pests have been observed to date. UUUnimprovedUnimproved ccoldoldoldold----toleranttolerant species: Eucalyptus benthamii and closely related E. dorrigoensis (formerly E. benthamii var dorrigoensis ) have performed well across all sites. No disease or pest problems have been observed in either species. Eucalyptus benthamii Bents Basin provenance was not outperformed by any of the commercial
control species at any of the sites.
Eucalyptus badjensis Brown Mt may be considered a potential alternative to E. smithii and E. macarthurii at warm temperate sites where MAT < 17.0 0 C. Eucalyptus badjensis poor performance at sites where MAT > 17.0 0 C was due to Phytophthora infection problems. It appears the Brown Mt provenance of E. badjensis may have better resistance to Phytophthora infection than Badja SF provenance. Eucalyptus deanei Mount Spirabo performed well at most sites and may be considered a promising alternative to E. smithii and E. macarthurii for warm temperate sites. Wood property tests warranted. Unimproved ssubububub----tropicaltropical species: Eucalyptus saligna Kenilworth performed well at most sites and may be considered a potential alternative to E. smithii and E. macarthurii for warm temperate sites where MAT >16.0 0 C.
Corymbia maculata Warwick experienced problems with bacterial blight ( Pantoea ananatis ) during
References Gardner R A W. 2001a. Alternative eucalypt species for Zululand: Seven year results from site-species interaction trials in the region. Southern African Forestry Journal , 190:79-88. Gardner R A W. 2001b. Site-species interaction studies with cold-tolerant eucalypts at high altitudes in South Africa. In : Proceedings of IUFRO Working Group 2.08.03 Conference “Developing the eucalypt of the future”, Valdivia, Chile, 10-15 September 2001 (on CD-ROM only). Gardner R A W. 2004. Selection of Eucalyptus species and provenances for hot, dry conditions in northern, coastal Zululand, South Africa. In : “ Eucalyptus in a changing world ” (Eds. N.M.G. Borralho, J.S. Pereira, C. Marques, J. Coutinho, M. Madeira and M. Tomé) p 168-170. Proc. IUFRO Conf., Aveiro, 11-15 Oct. (RAIZ, Instituto Investiga ςão da Floresta e Papel, Portugal). Gardner R A W. 2006. Early performance of promising cold-tolerant and sub-tropical eucalypt species in the warm temperate climate zone of KwaZulu-Natal. ICFR Bulletin Series 13/2006. Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, Pietermaritzburg. 21 pp. Schonau A.P.G. and Gardner R.A.W., 1991. Eucalypts for colder areas in Southern Africa. In: Schonau, A.P.G. (Ed.) Intensive Forestry: The Role of Eucalypts. Proceedings of IUFRO symposium, SAIF, Pretoria, pp 467-479. Schulze R E. 1997. South African Atlas of Agrohydrology and –Climatology. Report TT 82/96. Water Research Commission, Pretoria. Smith C W, Pallett R N, Kunz R P, Gardner R A W and du Plessis M. 2005. A strategic forestry site classification for the summer rainfall region of southern Africa based on climate, geology and soils. ICFR Bulletin Series 3/2005, Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, Pietermaritzburg. pp 6-15. Soil Classification Working Group. 1991. Soil Classification – A taxonomic system for South Africa. Department of Agricultural Development, Pretoria.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 5 Commercial deployment of eucalypt vegetation management standards in South Africa.
Keith Little ([email protected])) Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, P O Box 100281, Scottsville 3209
During the 1990’s a number of trials were implemented in the summer rainfall region of South Africa to determine both the short- and long-term impacts of competing vegetation on eucalypt growth. Trial sites were selected according to different physiographic regions, and as such, covered a range of altitudinal, climatic and environmental gradients. Although the understanding gained from these trials allowed for the development of appropriate and cost-effective vegetation management recommendations, the operational viability of these recommendations needed to be tested on a commercial basis. Going hand in hand with this was the out-sourcing of current weed control operations in South Africa to weed control contractors and this created the need for minimum standards against which they could be assessed.
Based on the results from the initial research, five eucalypt trials were initiated to test the applicability of the recommendations under commercial conditions. The costs associated with each treatment were used to determine their economic viability in terms of tree performance. Two of the trials were situated at low-altitude sites (< 1000 m a.s.l.), one at a mid-altitude site (1200 m a.s.l.), and two at high- altitude sites (> 1400 m a.s.l.). Several vegetation control treatments based on previous trial results, were developed to suit the predicted vegetation load at each site. These were applied as part of commercial operations and varied according to either weeding intensity (high, moderate and low), or area around the tree that was weeded (no vegetation control, a 2m row weeding and complete vegetation control).
Following tree crown closure in all of the treatments, vegetation control operations were linked to that of tree growth performance, allowing for the development of different cost:benefit ratios. The intensity of vegetation control operations required to produce significant growth benefits decreased with altitude, as did the area that needed to be kept free from competing vegetation. In direct contrast to the two high-altitude sites, where tree performance did not benefit from vegetation control, a significant tree growth improvement was recorded for the highest intensity vegetation control operations at the two low-altitude sites. Relative to low-altitude sites, the cost:benefit ratios at the mid- altitude site indicated either a reduction in the intensity of vegetation control operations, or in the area that needed to be weeded.
Take home points:
Besides demonstrating the commercial applicability of research results, this series of trials: • has shown that site dependent vegetation management is viable on a commercial scale, • will allow the forest industry to adjust their weed control budgets on a regional scale (linked to altitude), and • will provide the companies with tree growth data and associated weed control costs for various weed management scenarios within one region.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 6
Silvicultural regimes practised by Northern Timbers for saw log production.
Louis van Zyl Hans Merensky Holdings, P O Box 1343, Tzaneen, 0850 ([email protected])
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 7 The effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium applied after second thinning, on the growth of a Eucalyptus grandis sawtimber standstand....
Janine M. Campion ([email protected]) Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, PO Box 100281, Scottsville 3209
Introduction Limited work has been conducted in South Africa on the effects of mid- and late-rotation fertiliser application in eucalypt stands, despite the number of advantages of applying fertiliser later in the rotation as opposed to fertilising at planting. These advantages include: • An increased log size and therefore value per unit volume (Carlyle, 1995); • Flexibility in meeting market demands (Carlyle, 1995); • A reduction in the length of the compound interest period (Schutz, 1976; Donald, 1987) before final harvesting, leading to a maximisation of return on investment in fertilisation (Turner et al. , 1992; Carlyle, 1995); • Superior quality of the additional wood compared to that derived from first thinning or from fertilisation at planting because of less juvenile wood, as the additional wood is clear (knot-free) high quality, mature wood (Schutz, 1976; Donald, 1987); • Lower weed maintenance costs (ICFR, 1994) compared to fertiliser applied at planting.
The two main objectives of this trial were: • To determine the effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) applied after 2 nd thinning, on the growth of a Eucalyptus grandis sawtimber stand; and • To determine the effects of varying rates of N and K application in the presence or absence of P.
Site History and Information
Table 11. Site history and information for compartment G15, Westfalia, Tzaneen
360 m 3 ha -1 harvested in 1994 from G15, Westfalia, Location Site history 25-y-old E. grandis and Tzaneen 28-y-old E. saligna Current Geology Granite stand January 1995 planted Soil form Hutton Pruned 3.2 years to 7 m Soil texture Sandy clay loam/clay 111 ststst thinning 3.9 years to 500 stems ha -1 Soil depth 60 cm Pruned 7.5 years to 10 m Topsoil organic 7.9 years to uniform basal area 3.14% 222ndndnd thinning carbon content (275 stems ha -1) Altitude 974 m a.s.l. Fertilised 8.1 years MAP 1150 mm Before and after 2 nd thinning, and Sprayed with numerous times after fertiliser MAT 26 oC Roundup application
Experimental Design This trial has a 3 x 3 x 2 experimental design, laid out in blocks of 6, with 2 replicates of each treatment. The following elements were added: • N, applied as urea (46% N), at 0, 100 or 200 kg N ha -1, • P, applied as concentrated superphosphate (19.6% P), at 0 or 100 kg P ha -1, • K, applied as KCl (50% K), at 0, 100 or 200 kg K ha-1.
The 441 m 2 plot size contained between 10 and 13 measured trees following the 2 nd thinning operation.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 8 Results
26.0
) 24.0 -1 ha 2
22.0
0 N Basal area (m area Basal 20.0 100 N 200 N
18.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 Time (years) after fertilisation
Figure 1 . The effect of N on the basal area growth of E. grandis
26.0
) 24.0 -1 ha 2
22.0
Basal area (m area Basal 20.0 0 P 100 P
18.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 Time (years) after fertilisation
Figure 2 . The effect of P on the basal area growth of E. grandis
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 9 26.0
) 24.0 -1 ha 2
22.0
Basal area (m area Basal 20.0 0 K 100 K 200 K 18.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 Time (years) after fertilisation
Figure 3 . The effect of K on the basal area growth of E. grandis
Conclusion and Take Home Points • Responses occurred to N and K, and these elements interacted significantly with P. • Where interactions were significant, the greatest responses occurred where N and K were applied in the presence of P. • The lack of major responses to fertilisation at this stage suggests it is unlikely that these responses will be economical.
• A physiologically-based system must be developed for formulating fertiliser recommendations. Determination of the following should be considered: o The effect of thinning on nutrient cycling processes; o Quantification of the mineralisation rate to determine the rate at which nutrients are made available for uptake by the trees; o Examination of the foliar nutrient status to determine whether additional nutrients (added in fertiliser) have been taken up.
• These types of measurements will enable us to match the nutrient demand dynamics with the nutrient supply and allow us to develop robust fertiliser recommendations based on physiological principles, and to predict the likelihood of a response to fertilisation.
References Carlyle, J.C. 1995. Nutrient management in a Pinus radiata plantation after thinning: the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on soil nitrogen fluxes and tree growth. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 25: 1673-1683. Donald, D.G.M. 1987. The application of fertiliser to pines following second thinning. South African Forestry Journal 142: 13-16. ICFR 1994. Annual Research Report 1994 . Institute for Commercial Forestry Research Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. 228 pp. Schutz, C.J. 1976. A review of fertilizer research on some of the more important conifers and eucalypts planted in subtropical and tropical countries, with special reference to South Africa. Bulletin 53 . The Department of Forestry, Pretoria, South Africa. 89 pp. Turner, J., Lambert, M.J., Bowman, V. and Knott, J. 1992. Two post thinning fertilizer trials in Pinus radiata in New South Wales, Australia. Fertilizer Research 32: 259-267.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 10 The interaction of pit size x water quantity x method of application and their effect on the early survival and growth of eucalypts. (a trial series)
Paul Viero ([email protected]) Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, PO Box 100281, Scottsville, 3209
Introduction: A forestry planting operation typically includes marking, the preparation of a planting position and the planting of trees with or without water, all of which may impact on the successful re-establishment of both pines and eucalypts. For each of these operations there are a number of factors that will vary according to geographic location, company policy and individual understanding. Examples include the choice of pitting implement (hoe or pick), the dimension of the pit (depth and width) and soil type (which affects soil friability and soil water availability). Some companies advocate a “no water” policy; others will always plant with water, while others will schedule watering for times when planting conditions are considered sub-optimal (i.e. hot weather, dry conditions). Varying volumes of water are also applied during the planting operation (this is usually dependant on different species and can range from anything between 500 ml to 6 liters per pit) while in other instances only hydrogels are used. Planting techniques (placing of the plant) and methods of applying the water at planting also vary, with water either added to the planting hole immediately prior to planting the seedling, or after planting the seedling as a drench, or both. Due to the lack of eucalypt data related to the above aspects, three field trials were implemented in different climatic zones and soil types focusing primarily on the interaction between: • optimum pit size, • the amount of water to be applied to the pits, and • the method of application of water to the pits.
Trial design and Treatments All three trials are 3 x 2 x 3 factorials with 3 additional treatments:
• Pit Size o Small (notch) (15 x 20 x 20 cm) o Medium (25 x 30 x 25 cm) o Large (40 x 45 x 35 cm) • Water quantity o 1 litre o 2 litres • Method of application o Before o After o Half before and half after • Additional treatments o Dry plant (medium sized pit) o Hydrogel (medium sized pit) o Large pit (50 x 50 x 25 cm) + 5 litres of water
Table 1: Climatic and tree growth conditions for the three trials
Soil Information Species Alt. MAT MAP Region Site class OCOCOC planted (m) (0C) (mm yr -1) Texture (%) Tzaneen E. grandis 895 20.2 950 Warm temperate 1.7 sandy/clay/ loam Zululand E. GxU 40 21.8 1145 Sub-tropical 0.1 sand KZN Midlands E. gxn 1350 15.8 934 Cool temperate 3.6 clay
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 11 Figure 1: Seedling survival at 3 months for the E. grandis trial planted at Tzaneen
Rest of treatments a combined
Hydrogel a
Dry plant b
Large pit + a 5_litres
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Survival (%)
Figure 2: Seedling height at planting for the E. grandis trial planted at Tzaneen
Small pit ab
Medium pit abc
Large pit c
Large pit + d 5_litres
Dry plant bc
Hydrogel a
0 5 10 15 20 25 Seedling height (cm)
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 12 Take home points: These are early results. A more complete understanding of the different treatments will be obtained after canopy closure when results from all three trials are combined. • Planting without water resulted in significantly higher mortality (78 %) at three moths than all the rest of the treatments (95 %) combined. • The larger the pit the, “deeper” the seedlings were planted (smaller heights when measured at planting). • Applying water before planting resulted in the seedlings being planted “deeper” (smaller heights when measured at planting).
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 13 Eucalypt hybrid species ––– Sawlog production
Botha Maree / Sonia du Buisson Hans Merensky Holdings, P O Box 1343, Tzaneen, 0850 [email protected] / [email protected]
Introduction: The CSIR started developing eucalypt hybrid species suitable for saw timber and pulpwood production in the early 1980’s. Selections from their hybrid programme became available for commercial deployment, in the late 1990’s.
Northern Timbers entered into a license agreement in 1998 to plant screening trials and limited, commercial deployment of several Eucalyptus ( GU, SU and GS) hybrid clones.
CSIR hybrid programme background: “Original GU selections were made from a hybrid trial established at Grootboom plantation (Modadjiskloof, Limpopo province) with a subset included in trials planted at Salique plantation (Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga province) Both trials were specifically established on dry sites, to critically evaluate the potential of this hybrid on these sites”, in comparison with E. grandis and GC . (Grootboom mean annual rainfall 900mm).”
“Select E. urophylla pollen was crossed onto elite, 1 st generation, E. grandis mothers. The E. urophylla parent, it was hoped (and indeed, has now been shown) would impart some more disease tolerance to its hybrid progeny.” (C. Snedden, CSIR)
Selections from top performing hybrid families were made at age 5 years; with volume as the most important selection criterion. Rooted cuttings were established in clonal trials at Dukuduku and Port Durnford (Kwazulu-Natal); both of which areas, were known to be disease prevalent and were experiencing droughts at the time of planting. Nine GC’s, six GT selections and an E. grandis control were included in the trials.
Wood property assessments (pulping, density and log splitting) were done on the top 20 performing GU hybrid clones, based on BLUP ranking of growth, form and disease tolerance, at five years tree age.
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 14
HM/CSIR Screening trial description:
Plantation Noordewenke Compt. N16
Altitude ( h.a.s.l) 820 m MAP mm (1/2002 ––– 12/2005) 798 mm (2002 : 534 mm 2004 : 1 230 mm) “ (2002 ––– 10 yr mean) 1 336 mm
Planting date November 2001 Espacement 3.5 x 3.5 m Planting practise Fertiliser 2 : 3 : 2 (Zn) 100g/tree + mulch + 10 l water/tree Thinning 816 – 510 s/ha; 39 months Pruning 7m; 39 months 10m; 45 months
Trial design Alpha lattice (45 treatments, 3 reps, 4 x 4 tree plots)
Species (Treatments) 8 x GU ; 7 x SU ; 6 x GC ; 4 x GGT Controls 6 x E. grandis , low-split CSIR clones 2nd gen NTS commercial E. grandis 2nd gen SAFCOL“ “ 3 x E. grandis commercial, diallel clones 2 x GC 1 x GU
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 15 N16 Hybrid Screening Trial : Mean DBH at 52 months
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12 Diameter Diameter (cm) 10
8
6
4
2
0
7 3 2 1 92 5 56 OL 9 147 636 C 078 H 5 111 U SU 108 GR 4 GU 0 GS R 1223 GU 0 GU 082 AF SU 0 SU 084 G GU 102 GU S GR 1 G S SGR 13 S SGR 1266 S Specie/Herkoms
N16 Hybrid Screening Trial : Mean Tree Volume at 52 months
0.14
0.13
0.12
0.11
0.1
0.09
0.08
0.07
0.06 Tree (m3) volumeTree 0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
8 3 3 4 2 5 2 8 9 092 147 2 056 H 5 0 102 U 10 U S GU GS GU SU 0 GU 082 AFCOL SU GU 078 G GU 111 SGR 417 GR 1 S SGR 13 SGR 1266 S SGR 1636 Specie
ICFR Mpumalanga Regional Field Day © ICFR 2006 Page 16