Cultivation of Spruce Plantations Using Modern Herbicides without Agrotechnical Weeding

Complete text of the article:

Download article (pdf, 1.3MB )

UDС

632*954:630*232

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2021-3-9-23

Abstract

Uncontrolled development of unfavorable vegetation during artificial reforestation reduces survival and growth rates of planted trees, and in some cases causes their death. The use of reforestation equipment is often extremely difficult, therefore the most promising solutions are those involving creation of spruce plantations using seedlings with closed roots and manual planting tools without preliminary mechanical tillage. Long-term protection of plantations from undesirable vegetation is ensured by the use of modern herbicides registered for use in the forest sector in the Russian Federation. The article presents the results of 3-year field experiments on the use of herbicides and their mixtures to supress undesirable vegetation in the first years after planting European spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in the Leningrad region. High efficiency of herbicides for long-term suppression of shrubs, and herbaceous and woody plants was found. A mixture of herbicides Roundup, WS (360 g/L lyphosate acid), Anchor-85, WDG (750 g/kg sulfometuron-methyl potassium salt) and Arsenal, WC (250 g/L imazapyr) inhibited the development of herbaceous weeds for at least two growing seasons. The processes of undesirable vegetation development after spraying plantations with herbicides, the reaction of seedlings to the use of chemicals, indicators of conditions and growth of conifers were also studied. Analysis of the obtained data proved the possibility of combining a protective chemical pretreatment with herbicides and planting seedlings in a single technological procedure or planting seedlings within a few months after chemical treatment, which significantly reduces the risk of damage to seedlings by herbicides. The survival rate of plantations created by planting one- or two-year-old seedlings with closed roots was 93–98 %; and the biometric indicators were such that spruce plants could successfully compete with undesirable vegetation. The application of the developed method ensures a substantial reduction in labor and other reforestation costs compared to traditional technologies nvolving preliminary mechanical tillage and subsequent agrotechnical weeding of plantations.

Authors

Alexandr B. Egorov, Doctor of Agriculture; ResearcherID: G-4300-2015, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2624-214X
Anton M. Postnikov, Candidate of Agriculture; ResearcherID: G-4313-2015, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8942-8155
Alexander A. Bubnov, Candidate of Agriculture; ResearcherID: E-1666-2015, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5716-3503
Lidiya N. Pavluchenkova, Candidate of Agriculture; ResearcherID: G-4285-2015, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8884-2496
Anna N. Partolina, Candidate of Agriculture; ResearcherID: C-9983-2015, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2594-5003
e-mail: herb.egorov@yandex.ru, cucule88@gmail.com, a.bubnov@list.ru, partolina.anna.spb@gmail.com

Affiliation

Saint Petersburg Forestry Research Institute, Institutskiy prosp., 21, Saint Petersburg, 194021, Russian Federation

Keywords

forest plantations, planting, spruce, seedlings, herbicides, herbicide mixtures, chemical treatment

Funding

The study was financially supported by the Federal Agency for Forestry within the state assignment of the Saint Petersbutg Forestry Research Institute No. 053-00003-17 ПР, approved by Order No. 552 of 26.12.16

For citation

Egorov A.B., Postnikov A.M., Bubnov A.A., Pavluchenkova L.N., Partolina A.N. Cultivation of Spruce Plantations Using Modern Herbicides without Agrotechnical Weeding. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 3, pp. 9–23. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-3-9-23

References

1. Gavrilova O.I. Reforestation of Clear Cuttings and Productivity of Coniferous Forest Plantations of the Republic of Karelia: Dr. Agric. Sci. Diss. Petrozavodsk, 2012. 332 p.
2. Egorov A.B. Reproduction of Economically Valuable Forests Using the Chemical Method: History, Current Status and Development Prospects. Trudy Sankt-Peterburgskogo nauchno-issledovatel’skogo instituta lesnogo khozyaystva [Proceedings of the Saint Petersburg Forestry Research Institute], 2000, iss. 2(3), pp. 18–33.
3. Egorov A.B., Zhigunov A.V. Reforestation Using the Chemical Method. Saint Petersburg, SPbGLTA Publ., 2009. 68 p.
4. Malakhovets P.M. Forest Plantations. Arkhangelsk, NArFU Publ., 2012. 222 p.
5. Merzlenko M.D., Babich N.A. Theory and Practice of Artificial Reforestation. Arkhangelsk, NArFU Publ., 2011. 239 p.
6. Methodological Guidelines for Registration Tests of Herbicides in Agriculture. Ed. by Dolzhenko V.I. Saint Petersburg, RAAS Publ., 2013. 280 p.
7. Pisarenko A.I., Merzlenko M.D. Creation of Artificial Forests. Moscow, Agropromizdat Publ., 1990. 270 p.
8. Pisarenko A.I., Redko G.I., Merzlenko M.D. Artificial Forests. Part I. Moscow, VNIITslesresurs Publ., 1992. 308 p.
9. Red’ko G.I., Babich N.A. Reforestation in the European North of Russia. Arkhangelsk, Severo-Zapadnoye knizhnoye izdatel’stvo, 1994. 188 p.
10. Rodin A.R. Forest Plantations. Moscow, MGUL Publ., 2008. 318 p.
11. Sokolov A.I. Reforestation of Clear Cuttings of the North-West of Russia. Petrozavodsk, KarRC RAS Publ., 2006. 215 p.
12. List of Pesticides and Agrochemicals Permitted for Use in the Russian Federation. 2019: Reference Edition. Moscow, 2019. 848 p.
13. Chizhov B.E. Regulation of Grass Cover during Reforestation. Moscow, VNIILM Publ., 2003. 174 p.
14. Shipitsina O.V. Forestry and Economic Efficiency of Artificial Reforestation: Cand. Agric. Sci. Diss. Yekaterinburg, 2009. 124 p.
15. Ezell A.W., Langston V. Use of Milestone VM PLUS in Forestry Site Preparation Mixtures. Proceedings of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Southern Weed Science Society. Red Hook, NY, Curran Associates, Inc., 2011, vol. 64, p. 160.
16. Ezell A.W., Yeiser J.L., Self A.B. Mixtures of Glyphosate, Imazapyr and Aminopyralid for Site Preparation. Proceedings of the the 68th Annual Meeting of the Southern Weed Science Society. SWSS, 2015, vol. 68, p. 97.
17. Gardner A.P., Richardson R.J., Roten R.L., Hoyle S.T. Control of Selected Woody Plants with Aminopyralid and Aminopyralid Mixtures. Proceedings of the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Southern Weed Science Society. SWSS, 2009, vol. 62, p. 426.
18. Hoepting M.K., Wagner R.G., McLaughlin J., Pitt D.G. Timing and Duration of Herbaceous Vegetation Control in Northern Conifer Plantations: 15-Years Tree Growth and Soil Nutrient Effects. Forestry Chronicle, 2011, vol. 87, iss. 3, рр. 398–413. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5558/tfc2011-030
19. McCarthy N., Bentsen N.C., Willoughby I., Balandier P. The State of Forest Vegetation Management in Europe in the 21st Century. European Journal of Forest Research. 2011, vol. 130, iss. 1, рр. 7–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-010-0429-5
20. Wagner R.G., Little K.M., Richardson B., Mcnabb K. The Role of Vegetation Management for Enchancing Productivity of the World’s Forests. Forestry, 2006, vol. 79, iss. 1, рр. 57–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpi057