Stem Biomass Production of Paulownia elongata × P. fortunei under Low Irrigation in a Semi-Arid Environment

Forests

Francisco Antonio Garc໚-Morote¹  Francisco Ramón López-Serrano¹  Eduardo Martínez-Garc໚¹  Manuela Andrés-Abellán¹  Tarek Dadi²  David Candel²  Eva Rubio²  Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja¹ 

[1] Science and Technology Department of Agroforestry and Genetics, Higher Technical School of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, CP 02071, Albacete, Spain; E-Mails:;Renewable Energy Research Institute (Section of Environment and Forest Resources), University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, CP 02071, Albacete, Spain; E-Mails:

关键词: fast-growing species;    biomass plantations;    water-use restrictions;    fertilization;    Mediterranean climate;   

DOI  :  10.3390/f5102505

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In semi-arid regions, afforestation with fast-growing species cultured with low irrigation can be an effective approach for environmental protection. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the stem biomass production of Paulownia in a semi-arid climate and clay soils under contrasting low-irrigation and fertilization treatments. The stem biomass at the stand level was estimated by applying allometric equations fitted in sample resprouts and inventory data. The results show that biomass production improved when either irrigation or fertilizer was added, but the combination of a higher dose of irrigation and fertilization did not lead to the highest biomass production; thus water availability was the main factor controlling biomass production. Under the higher dose of irrigation, the absence of a fertilizer effect would be due in part to the fertile soil, which could supply sufficient nutrients for Paulownia growth at the higher level of soil moisture. The stem biomass estimated ranged from 2.14 to 4.50 t·ha⁻¹ (lower irrigation dose without fertilization, and higher irrigation with fertilization). The greater production was similar to other studies in the Mediterranean area receiving more irrigation. Thus, this study permitted us to understand the potential of Paulownia to provide biomass in semi-arid environments with low irrigation due to water use restrictions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.