2020

LVM Studies the Effect of Soil Preparation on the Growth of Young Trees in Forest

Each year, JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) ensures forest restoration, planting two trees per each felled tree. To ensure high-quality reforestation, the soil is prepared before planting trees in a clearing. In order to determine the impact of these works on the further growth of spruce and pine seedlings, LVM in cooperation with the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” conducted a scientific study “Impact of Soil Preparation Method on P. sylvestris and P. abies Seedling Root Development in Commercial Forests”.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of soil preparation methods on plant root depth, root dry mass and growth direction.

In the course of the research, common spruce and pine seedlings with an improved root system growing in areas managed by LVM were excavated and studied. For 1–3 years, they had been growing in prepared soils – in furrows prepared using the uplifting method or a disc plough.

It has been observed that trees planted on uplifts develop a deeper root system; the root system also expands more evenly in uplifts; however, dry mass of roots is not affected by the soil preparation method or soil type.

The study found that trees planted in furrows form a bilateral root system, parallel to furrows. This finding is particularly useful because it indicates that when preparing soil in furrows, attention should also be paid to the direction of the prevailing winds, especially when restoring spruce stands.

No correlation has been found between root growth direction and celestial sides.