Bedding Effects in Maturing Slash Pine Stands

Abstract Growth of randomly selected dominant slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) trees from a 35-year-old plantation on beds and an adjacent 45-year-old unbedded plantation was examined through stem analysis. Height-over-age curves constructed from these analyses indicated that trees on the beds were consistently taller at comparable ages through 35 years. The difference was greatest, 10.8 feet, at age 17 and decreased to 5.7 feet at age 35. These observations, while not conclusive, indicate that the growth advantage provided by bedding may decline as slash pines mature.