Abstract

LEON-SANCHEZ, María Amparo; REYES-POZO, Jorge Luís; HERRERO-ECHEVARRIA, Grisel  and  PEREZ-LEON, Víctor Ernesto. The effect of fertilization on growth, in diameter and height, of Pinus caribaea in plantations of western Cuba. Madera bosques [online]. 2016, vol.22, n.3, pp.87-101. ISSN 2448-7597.  https://doi.org/10.21829/myb.2016.2231115.

Some studies focus on the analysis of the effect of mineral fertilization on variables associated with tree growth in productive plantations. They mainly analyze the short-term response to fertilization. The aim of this research is therefore to analyze the long-term response to mineral fertilization, applied fractionally over the first five years of the establishment of a Pinus caribaea plantation in Viñales, Pinar del Río, Cuba. The effect on growth, in diameter and height, was examined using a randomized block design. Seven treatments were established, according to the doses and application regime of NPK, as well as a control, with no fertilizer. These variables were measured at different ages, in 288 trees over 41 years and the growth functions were estimated using a multilevel regression for the entire period and in two separate stages. The analysis of the coefficients for the obtained growing curves showed that, in the period from 2 to 41 years, the diameter and height for individual trees were, on average, superior to those of the control, in treatments of 600 g, 800 g and 1000 g of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) per tree. Treatment with application of a single dose of 300 g of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) tree-1 produced lower values of diameter and height than those of the control. The two-stage study demonstrated that, from 33 to 41 years, homogeneity in height was achieved among treatments, except for the treatment with 300 g of (NPK) tree-1, which presented lower heights relative to those of the control.

Keywords : growing curves; mineral fertilizer; multilevel regression.

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