Volume 58 (2012): Issue 3 (September 2012)

The paper presents the results of growth and volume production of cultivated poplar row plantations on non-forest land in the ecological conditions of Eastern Slovak Lowlands.

The research was conducted in single row and double row plantations, both on sites affected by ground water and on sites without the effect of ground water. Evaluation of the results showed that from the poplars observed (poplars ´I-214´, ´Robusta´, ´Gelrica´, ´Regenerata´ and ´Marilandica´) the best growth as well as the maximum volume production reached poplar ´I-214´ on all evaluated research areas. In a single row planting favorably affected by ground water on a site Bačka, it has reached mean height of 27.9 m in its 25^th year, mean thickness of 39.8 cm, and the average annual volume increment of 16.2 m3 per 1 km. In double row plantings in site Leles were these values 26.2 m, 37.4 cm, and 27.1 m³ per 1 km. By contrast, poplar ´Marilandica´ reached the lowest growth values and minimum volume production (in a single row planting on site Boľ were these values 24.5 m, 36.2 cm and 12.6 m³ per 1 km, and in double row plantings on site Dobra 23.7 m, 34.0 cm and 20.9 m³ per 1 km). It is evident, that values of growth and volume production were lower on less favorable sites, unaffected by the ground water. The given overview shows, that growing of poplars in row plantings on non-forest land was favorable

The paper deals with non-whole-area artificial reforestation as a new rationalization method of forest regeneration based on a combination of planting of desirable tree species and natural regeneration of other tree species from surrounding adult stands. It presents the first preliminary results of the experiment established on the demonstration area Kysuce - locality Husarik. The first results suggest that non-wholearea artificial regeneration can bring significant cost savings in establishing and subsequent treatment of the forest cultures. On the other hand, the question of ensuring adequate regeneration of desirable tree species in required time remains open at this time, and longer monitoring is necessary.