Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Research Institute of Forests and Ranglands Iran
2
Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands
3
member of scientific boards, Research Center of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Mazandaran Province
10.22034/ijf.2023.351291.1880
Abstract
Introduction and Objective: Iran has a limited amount of land covered by natural forests, and the harvesting of these forests has been banned in recent years. Therefore, there is a need for afforestation and plantations to meet the wood demands. The main question is which lands are suitable and economical for poplar plantation. Following the government's policy of stopping the exploitation of forests in the north of Iran, there is a challenge in supplying the wood needed by industries. In light of this, the forestry section has considered the approach of wood cultivation using fast-growing species. Poplurs species have always been a popular choice among wood producers due to their unique characteristics, making them an ideal choice for our new approach in the country.
Material and Methods: In this study, the ecological needs of poplar species (Populus spp.) were evaluated using the quantitative land evaluation approach resulting from the FAO method. The edaphic and climatic requirements of this species were gathered using available library resources, the results available in the soil laboratory of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangeland, and the field survey. The Quantitative Classification of soil and climate properties was done in five classes: suitable (S1), moderate suitability (S2), low or critical suitability (S3), uncertain unsuitable (N1), and permanent unsuitable (N2). For Validation of the results, a quantitative assessment of land suitability for poplar plantations in six typical soil types was evaluated using the parametric method. The suitability of the soil and climate for poplar growth was graded between 0 and 100. The most important factors affecting the growth of poplar include topography, soil moisture, soil physical properties, soil fertility potential, and salinity and sodium risk.
Results: To determine the plant requirements of poplar, 20 soil characteristics and 2 climate indices were assessed.
Poplar trees thrive in wet or semi-humid areas with rainfall between 1500 and 1800 mm, providing the most suitable growth conditions during the dry season. For Populus cultivation, the most suitable soil textures are sandy loam and fine sandy loam, followed by loam, sandy clay loam, and coarse sandy loam. These are categorized as light to medium texture groups, which allow for good drainage and ventilation. However, soils with heavy textures of clay and silty clay, which contain more than 60% clay, are not recommended due to poor drainage and lack of ventilation. Medium silty textures have a medium suitability for spruce.
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