Effects of age and frequency of cutting on productivity of Mediterranean deciduous fodder tree and shrub plantations

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 110; no. 1; pp. 283 - 292
• Main Authors: Papanastasis, Vasilios P, Platis, Panagiotis D, Dini-Papanastasi, Olympia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 05.10.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Age of cutting; Agricultural and farming systems; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; ALIMENT POUR ANIMAUX; ALTURA; AMORPHA FRUTICOSA; ARBOLES DE PROPOSITO MULTIPLE; ARBRE A BUTS MULTIPLES; Biological and medical sciences; BIOMASA; BIOMASS; BIOMASSE; CUTTING BACK; FEEDS; Fodder shrubs; Fodder trees; FRECUENCIA DE LAS COSECHAS; FREQUENCE DE RECOLTE; Frequency of cutting; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; HARVESTING FREQUENCY; HAUTEUR; HEIGHT; Mediterranean environment; MEDITERRANEAN REGION; MULTIPURPOSE TREES; PIENSOS; RECEPAGE; RECORTE; REGION MEDITERRANEA; REGION MEDITERRANEENNE; ROBINIA PSEUDOACACIA; Greece; Europe; Mediterranean Basin; Fodder trees; Age of cutting; Fodder shrubs; Height; Biomass; Frequency of cutting; Mediterranean environment; Productivity; Fodder tree; Fodder shrub; Forest management; Management planning; Optimization; Robinia pseudoacacia; Exploitation; Leguminosae; Semi arid zone; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Frequency; Hardwood forest tree; Spermatophyta; Age; Agroforestry
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1127(98)00293-X

Deciduous fodder trees and shrubs are important feed resources for the critical summer period in semi-arid and sub-humid Mediterranean environments. Eleven such species were established in central Macedonia, Greece as 1-year old seedlings in 1987 and studied through 1994. Height and biomass were statistically different among species and tended to increase with the age of plants. Common Robinia pseudoacacia was the tallest and the most productive species, reaching more than 3 m height and 4 kg DM/plant 8 years since planting; it was followed by Ostrya carpinifolia, the variety monophylla of Robinia, Colutea arborescens and Amorpha fruticosa. Grazeable proportion of total biomass was about 50% and decreased as the age of plants increased. Repeated annual cutting resulted in significant reduction of both height and total biomass by 51% and 88%, respectively as compared with uncut plants at the end of the eighth year while frequent cutting tended to increase the grazeable proportion of biomass after the fourth year. To attain an optimum combination of quantity and quality of biomass in deciduous fodder tree and shrub plantations cutting or grazing should not start earlier than the third year since establishment.