Macro and micronutient foliar concentrations in nine eucalyptus species in northwest Spain

Abstract

Sources of variation in foliar nutrient concentration are studied in a provenances test of nine eucalyptus species (E. badjensis, E. globulus ssp. bicostata, E. cypellocarpa, E. delegatensis, E. fastigata, E. nitens, E. obliqua, E. smithii and E. viminalis) in north-western Spain. Sample plot is on an acid and sandy soil, poor in P and Mg. Parent material is granite. Four foliar samples series were collected in February, April, August and November 1996 from six plants of each provenance and species. Samples were analysed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn. There are significant differences between species and also, important differences between our results and those reported in other studies (in our test plot there are lower levels of N, P and K and higher levels of Ca and Mg for most of the species studied). Seasonal effects are very important in all nutrients and species. Differences between provenances are not clear and provenances-season interaction is not significant in most of cases.