Vol. 11, Issue 3 (2022)

Author(s):
Clara Manasa PA, Ramakrishna Hegde, Amanulla BKM, Abhiyu Singh, Mohan Varghese and Supriya K Salimath

Abstract:
Paper being an essential commodity in day-to-day use, forms the core sector of our economy. Eucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake is a fast-growing eucalypt species used primarily for pulp and paper boards due to their acceptable wood quality, rapid growth, and high volumetric yield. Spacing has a significant role in tree growth parameters and stand’s yield. This study aims to know the influence of spacing on growth and yield parameters in five different spacing at six years. Spacing significantly affected growth traits (height, diameter at breast height, clear bole height, and crown width), total biomass, and pulpwood production. Individual tree growth and biomass were higher at wider spacing (3.00 m × 3.00 m), whereas the total biomass per stand was higher with closer spacing (2.00 m × 3.00 m). The current study reveals that pulpwood yield can be increased by 25 per cent higher in E. urophylla at the test site by following a close spacing of 2.00 m × 3.00 m compared to wider spacing (2.75 m × 3.00 m), even if the survival rate is slightly lower.