Growth and stem form changes in Picea abies as affected by stand nutrition

Abstract

The changes in basal area, volume and tree shape in an ‘optimum fertility trial’ in Norway Spruce were studied after the treatments had been applied for 15 years. There was a marked response to N and a lesser response to P. Increased average tree taper was associated with the N application. Form factors tended to show less change, but, even allowing for tree height responses, there was up to a 10% reduction. Phosphate fertilizer in the presence of N increased form factor slightly; applying a ‘complete’ fertilizer reduced form factor and increased taper while the trees were under about 6 m tall. The use of individual treatment regressions of volume on basal area resulted in increased precision in estimating the volume of individual treatment means.