Introduction:

Genetic improvement and nutritional management are used to increase productive capacity.

Objective:

To analyze the effect of traditional and controlled-release fertilizers, as well as the way to define the doses (technically or empirically), on growth of 20 tree families of Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham.

Materials and methods:

Four fertilization treatments were applied: 1) control; 2) “technical”, based on foliar analysis; 3) controlled release (18-6-12 + 2CaO + 3.5 Mg + 2.1 Si + microelements); and 4) mixture of agricultural fertilizers in nutrient concentrations similar to the controlled-release treatment. Height, diameter, biomass index, number of whorls, leaf mass, and growth initiation and cessation were evaluated in a group of 10 superior and 10 inferior three-year old families in Chignahuapan, Puebla. Data were analyzed with the MIXED procedure of SAS.

Results and discussion:

Trees showed no significant differences in growth, biomass production and growth initiation by fertilization effect, but showed significant differences by genetic quality (P ≤ 0.05). The genotype*fertilization interaction was significant; after one year of controlled-release fertilizer application, inferior genotypes had the highest values of relative rates of biomass production, diameter at root collar and height.

Conclusions:

Controlled-release fertilizers at appropriate doses and environmental conditions are a viable option to promote growth of young P. patula trees in the field.

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