Growth and physiological responses to silviculture for producing solid-wood products from Eucalyptus plantations: An Australian perspective

We review the main silvicultural interventions used when managing Eucalyptus plantations for solid-wood products, including fertilising, pruning and thinning. The growth of a plantation and the quality of the wood produced is closely linked to the development of the tree crowns. These silvicultural interventions influence crown dynamics and can interact with each other, as well as the species, site and the age at which they are applied. This review focuses on the growth and physiological responses observed in Eucalyptus plantations, particularly from an Australian perspective. The implications for wood quality, while given some attention, are beyond the scope of this review. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.