Growth observation and management of larch seedlings in northern Hebi province

Larch is the dominant afforestation tree species in northern Hebei province.In order to provide seedling management and afforestation techniques for the region,larch growth status in very early stage is investigated in Siheyong and Mengluan Forest Centers,and related management techniques are developed.Results show that,one-year-old plantlets of Larix principis-rupprechtii and L.kaempferi grow slowly in June,but start to speed up from mid-July.L.kaempferi is found less tolerant to cold but with longer growing days in a year.For their two-year-old seedlings,L.principis-rupprechtiicould provide more standard seedlings of first and second grades for afforestation,and L.kaempferi has more branches together with higher figures of seedling height and basal diameter.For the nine-year-old larch trees,investigations show the increment of L.kaempferi is significantly higher than that of L.principis-rupprechtii.