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Relating growth and nutrition to site factors in young chestnut plantations established on agricultural and forest land in northern Spain

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Abstract

The growth and nutritional status of 97 hybrid chestnut plantations on former agricultural land and forest land were studied in relation to site conditions (climatic variables and soil properties). A single family of curves was obtained for classifying the early height growth of hybrid and sweet chestnut. Soil limitations and nutrient deficiencies were evident in the former forest land, whereas the agricultural soils were found to be generally suitable for growing chestnut. The stands with highest growth rates were characterized by high foliar concentrations of K, P and Ca. Successful growth of the plantations was always related to high summer precipitation, low elevation and absence of long periods of risk of frost. The results confirm the adaptability of chestnut to most sites where it has been planted for timber production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University of Oviedo, Escuela Politécnica de Mieres (E.P.M.), Campus Universitario de Mieres, C/Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirós, 33600, Mieres, Spain

    P. Álvarez-Álvarez, A. Cámara-Obregón & E. Afif-Khouri

  2. Research Group 1716—Projects and Rural Planning, Department of Agro-Forestry Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, Escola Politécnica Superior, Campus Universitario, s/n, 27002, Lugo, Spain

    E. Díaz-Varela

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  1. P. Álvarez-Álvarez
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  2. E. Díaz-Varela
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  3. A. Cámara-Obregón
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  4. E. Afif-Khouri
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Correspondence to P. Álvarez-Álvarez.

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Álvarez-Álvarez, P., Díaz-Varela, E., Cámara-Obregón, A. et al. Relating growth and nutrition to site factors in young chestnut plantations established on agricultural and forest land in northern Spain. Agroforest Syst 79, 291–301 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-010-9313-z

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