GROWTH EFFECTS AND GROWING PROCESS OF SHORT ROTATION EUCALYPTUS PLANTATIONS

The growth factors of the stands of 4 Eucalyptus clones (U 6, W 5, EC 1 and Eucalyptus urophylla) of short rotation were investigated. The data were treated with cluster analysis. Marked differences were observed among the genotypes studied in tree height, DBH, single tree volume and growing stock, being in the order of EC 1 U 6 W 5 E. urophylla. The growing stock of 6-year-old U 6, W 5, EC 1 and E. urophylla was 243.8557, 238.4578, 172.7508 and 130.9949 m3/hm2, respectively. Their number mature age was 4.9, 4.2, 3.0 and 4.2 years, respectively. The growth process of the short rotation plantation was divided into 3 stages: fast growth stage, average growth stage and slow growth stage and the stand age for different clones to reach their different stages was also different.