Growth of european spruce forest crops created by seedlings with a closed root system

Abstract

The assessment of the preservation and growth of spruce crops created by seedlings with a closed root system, as well as their intraspecific variability of apical shoot growth, was carried out. The object of research is the European spruce crops in the Gryazovetsky district of the Vologda Oblast in acidic conditions of the place of growth. Forest crops were created in 2014 and 2017 by oneand two-year-old seedlings of European spruce with a closed root system with improved hereditary properties with the same tillage technology. The composition of the studied plantings includes from 2 to 4 units of cultivated rock. The studied spruce crops are characterized by intensive growth and good preservation, which determines the effectiveness of using this technology. A decrease in the level of variation in the growth of the apical shoot with age is characteristic for all the surveyed areas. The correlation ratio (η = 0.93) indicates a very high dependence of the fluctuation of growth on the age of plants. The decrease in the level of variability of growth in the phase of individual growth is primarily due to the absence of shading by woody and herbaceous vegetation, which, in turn, is also due to the high intensity of crop growth in combination with timely care. These studies allow us to recommend activating the transition of reforestation to the technology of creating spruce crops with a closed root system.