Pine growth response to management of the subterranean clover understory

摘要

Management of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneumL.) understory grown with loblolly pine (Pinus taedaL.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottiiEngelm.) resulted in differences in both clover yield and pine diameter. Loblolly and slash pines were planted into a subterranean clover pasture in 1984. Suppression of warm season herbaceous vegetation by applying herbicides or disking the site in late summer resulted in significantly greater subterranean clover production than on the control site where no additional understory management was applied. Pine species had no effects on clover yield. The N content of the pine foliage on the blocks managed with herbicide application or disking generally was significantly greater than the control from the 5th through 7th growing seasons (1988–1990). The dbh of the pine trees in the disked and herbicide treatments was greater than the control after the 7th growing season (1990