<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Pruning requires significant investment, therefore, the aim of the study was to characterize occlusion of branch wounds and changes in radial increment as well as frequency of browsing damages after pruning of Norway spruce (<italic>Picea abies</italic> (L.) Karst.) in order to provide data for financial calculations and recommendations for practical forestry. Altogether 1,614 pruned and 4,368 unpruned trees from 45 Norway spruce stands were measured and cored. Degree of wound occlusion and browsing damages were assessed, and additional volume increment estimated in each stand. Pruning resulted in significant increase of length of branch-free section: for unpruned trees it was 0.3 ± 0.07 m, but for pruned 3.4 ± 0.10 m. Branch wounds for most of the trees (68%) were filled with resin (occluded), for lower share of trees (31%) – still open, but for some trees (1%) completely occluded. Branch wound occlusion rate was not affected by differences in stand density, but was significantly affected by stand age: proportion of trees with occluded branch scars increased with age. Trees with occluded branch wounds had a significantly higher increase in tree ring width after the pruning in comparison to the period before pruning than trees with open branch wounds, emphasizing the importance of radial increment in development of branch-free layer of wood. Pruning resulted in minor (−7% or −0.28 ± 0.05 m3 ha−1) reduction of annual increment that was statistically significant only up to 3 years after this forest management activity for stands younger than 17 years and with mean height up to 10.5 m. Pruned trees were significantly more browsed than unpruned (6.1% and 2.7%, respectively).</abstract>

Pruning requires significant investment, therefore, the aim of the study was to characterize occlusion of branch wounds and changes in radial increment as well as frequency of browsing damages after pruning of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in order to provide data for financial calculations and recommendations for practical forestry. Altogether 1,614 pruned and 4,368 unpruned trees from 45 Norway spruce stands were measured and cored. Degree of wound occlusion and browsing damages were assessed, and additional volume increment estimated in each stand. Pruning resulted in significant increase of length of branch-free section: for unpruned trees it was 0.3 ± 0.07 m, but for pruned 3.4 ± 0.10 m. Branch wounds for most of the trees (68%) were filled with resin (occluded), for lower share of trees (31%) – still open, but for some trees (1%) completely occluded. Branch wound occlusion rate was not affected by differences in stand density, but was significantly affected by stand age: proportion of trees with occluded branch scars increased with age. Trees with occluded branch wounds had a significantly higher increase in tree ring width after the pruning in comparison to the period before pruning than trees with open branch wounds, emphasizing the importance of radial increment in development of branch-free layer of wood. Pruning resulted in minor (−7% or −0.28 ± 0.05 m3 ha−1) reduction of annual increment that was statistically significant only up to 3 years after this forest management activity for stands younger than 17 years and with mean height up to 10.5 m. Pruned trees were significantly more browsed than unpruned (6.1% and 2.7%, respectively).

Pruning effect on Norway spruce (<italic>Picea abies</italic> (L.) Karst.) growth and quality

Latvian State Forest Research Institute ‘Silava’

Forestry Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Pruning effect on Norway spruce ( (L.) Karst.) growth and quality

Pruning requires significant investment, therefore, the aim of the study was to characterize occlusion of branch wounds and changes in radial increment as well...

Pruning effect on Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) growth and quality

Publié en ligne: 23 oct. 2017

Pages: 33 - 48

Reçu: 02 mars 2017

Accepté: 15 mai 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/fsmu-2017-0005

Mots clés
branch-free wood, branch wound occlusion, radial increment, browsing damages

© 2017 Endijs Baders et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Pruning effect on Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) growth and quality

Publié en ligne: 23 oct. 2017

Pages: 33 - 48

Reçu: 02 mars 2017

Accepté: 15 mai 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/fsmu-2017-0005

Mots clésbranch-free wood, branch wound occlusion, radial increment, browsing damages

© 2017 Endijs Baders et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Mots clés
branch-free wood, branch wound occlusion, radial increment, browsing damages