Plantation tree growth responses to P, N, K and minor and trace elements on low fertility savanna soils
Stan J. Rance A B , David M. Cameron B , Carl R. Gosper
A C * and Emlyn R. Williams D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
B School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
C Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia.
D Statistical Consulting Unit, ANU, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia.
Soil Research 61(3) 255-266 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR21259
Submitted: 18 October 2021 Accepted: 12 September 2022 Published: 19 October 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Widespread soil nutrient limitations in savanna soils typically constrain plantation tree growth, and hence limit economic opportunities in tropical regions. Fertilisation offers an approach to overcome soil nutrient limitations, but requires research on nutrient contents and rates to maximise plant growth while avoiding nutrient imbalances that have stunted plant growth under some fertiliser regimes.
Aims: To test the hypothesis that multiple nutrient limitations exist in savanna soils, with nutrient deficiencies exposed in sequence with fertiliser addition.
Methods: Factorial field experiments tested the growth of the plantation timber species African mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) to applications of phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen and minor and trace elements (referred to as the T treatment) on a kandosol soil near Darwin, Australia.
Key results: Under high stocking rates to induce deficiencies sooner through utilisation of a high proportion of the available nutrient capital, positive responses and interactions to all four main treatments were recorded. There were step-wise responses to phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen and the T treatment. Treatments with greater mean tree growth were more uniform than lesser-growing treatments, even though the largest and smallest individuals were similar across treatments.
Conclusions: Consistent with our hypothesis, correcting one soil nutrient deficiency exposed another in sequence as nutrient reserves were depleted in a drying soil. Variation in tree performance across plots indicates that testing of soil nutrients and fertiliser responses need to be assessed in replicate and dispersed samples.
Implications: Khaya senegalensis demonstrated potential for plantation use in northern Australia with minimal mortality from termites and other causes, if supported with broad-spectrum fertilisation balanced to match plant growth and water availability.
Keywords: fertiliser, Khaya senegalensis, nutrient limitation, phosphorus, plant nutrition, soil limitation, soil variation, tropical soil.
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