Elements of growth and structure of narrow-leaved ash ( Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl) annual seedlings in the nursery on fluvisol

Abstract

Background and Purpose: For the process of optimisation of annual seedling production of narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl) planned for the reforestation of marshland sites morphology, height and diameter growth and structure of narrow-leaved ash were researched in the nursery on fluvisol in different microsite conditions (microsite A - sandy-loamy fluvisol and microsite B - loamy fluvisol). Material and Methods: The measurements included the length of the axis above the cotyledons (h), and hypocotyl diameter (d(0)). The length of internodes and two intersecting diameters in the middle of each internode were measured on three highest seedlings in the seedbed (h=208.7-223.7 c-m). Results and Conclusion: The elements of seedling growth were affected by microsite conditions and growing space. The analysis of covariance showed that growing space did not have a significant effect on mean seedling height(h(a), h(L), h(g20%)), and on mean square diameter of 20% largest-diameter seedlings, which indicates that these growth elements were more affected by site conditions, i.e., indirectly, by silvicultural treatments. This shows that the conditions for narrow-leaved ash were more favourable on microsite B than on microsite A. The analysis of covariance showed that growing space had a significant effect on arithmetic mean diameter (d(a)). The results pointed out that fluvisol was a very suitable natural environment for the production of narrow-leaved ash bare-root seedlings.