1993 Volume 19 Issue 3 Pages 166-173
The stem-top diameter and the basal branch diameter of each Salix matsudana, directly planted by large cuttings in the Mu Us Shamo Desert, Inner Mongolia of China, was measured in order to estimate the amount of harvest of fodder in winter. The shelterbelts for studies were located in the western side of the Mu Us Shamo Desert Research Center and the Eastern Experimental Field.
The results may be summarized as follows: 1) The normal-distribution pattern of individual stem-top diameters measured at the eastern shelterbelt was nearly normal. Otherwise, the distribution pattern at the middle shelterbelt was wider than at the eastern one. 2) The stem-top diameter of individuals with first sproutingbranches was shorter than that of one with second sprouting branches. 3) The relationship between the stem-top diameter and the number of branches was varied with branch orders. The relationship between stem-top area and total basal area of branches was varied with branch order, similarly. The ratio between total basal area of branches and the stem-top area was calculated. The distribution class of ratio of cuttings with second order branches was lower than that of cuttings with first order branch. As mentioned above, the number of branches and branch order were closely associated with stem diameter growth.
