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Buried Organic Layer Affects the Growth of Slash Pine in the Florida Sandhills

Informally Refereed

Abstract

A technique for deep placement of organic matter within the soil, called sublayering, was tested as a means of improving Florida sandhill sites for slash pine (Pinuselliottii var. clliortii Engelm.). Single-tree plots were installed in four treatments: sublayering with peat moss, clearing, clearing plus sublayering, and no treatment.Survival was poor only on the cleared plots.Height-growth differences between treatments were significant at the 0.0I level but did not show sublayering to be beneficial. Average 8-yearheight on untreated plots was 1.26 m, 1.44 m on cleared plots, 1.48 m on sublayered plots, and 2.48 m on cleared-sublayered plots. Root excavation showed proliferation of roots in the peat moss layer, but all roots had poor growth due to black root rot. Sublayering does not appear to be a good substitute for mechanical site preparation, though it may have value when applied along with it.

Keywords

Tiefdungung, soil amendments, sublayering, peat moss

Citation

Hebb, Edwin A. 1980. Buried Organic Layer Affects the Growth of Slash Pine in the Florida Sandhills. Res. Note SE-209. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 8 p.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/795