Sprout vigor of poplar cuttings from stoolbeds fertilized with nitrogen or phosphorus

GRACIANO, CORINA; RODRÍGUEZ, MARÍA EMILIA; FAUSTINO, LAURA INÉS

La Plata

Congreso; IV International Conference of the IUFRO Working Party Unit 2.09.02; 2016

IUFRO

Salicaceae stoolbeds produce propagating material for clonal plantations. With the annual shoots harvest, nutrients are exported from the system and in consequence, in successive production cycles, soil fertility can be reduced. Fertilization enables to compensate for extraction of nutrients. However, there is little information if mineral fertilization affects the vigor of the cutting in its early sprout. The aim of this study was to evaluate if fertilization with N or P in stoolbeds of two Populus deltoides clones -`Australiano 129/60´ and ?150-82?- affects the early vigor of the sprout of cuttings. Commercial stoolbeds were divided in plots that received one of the following treatments: fertilization with N, fertilization with P and unfertilized. Root and sprout production during the first months after planting was measured in cutting produced in each treatment. Fertilization with N increased the number of roots in `Australiano 129/60´ but increased shoot:root ratio. Early vigor of ?150-82? was not affected by fertilization. If cutting from fertilized stoolbeds were subject to soil water deficit or flooding, their growth was affected similar to those coming from unfertilized stoolbeds. Hence, fertilization of stoolbeds has no negative effect in the early vigor of the sprout neither in their tolerance to water stress of poplar cuttings.