Response of young black cherry stands to fertilization

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Abstract
Twenty fertilizer treatments of different rates and combinations of N, P and K were established in young black cherry (P. serotina Ehrh.) stands that originated after clear-cutting in northwestern Pennsylvania, USA. Height, diameter and basal area growth rates and foliar nutrient composition were evaluated annually for 5 yr thereafter. N alone and P in combination with N produced large increases in height, diameter and basal area growth. The addition of K to N + P treatments produced no additional response. Growth responses were largest during the first 2 yr after fertilization, with increases in height and diameter lasting for 4-5 yr. In yr 1, maximum growth rates were reached with 112 kg N/ha and 49 kg P/ha, but 224 kg N/ha and 49 kg P/ha were necessary to sustain responses in following years. Both seedling and sapling stands responded to fertilization with similar absolute annual increases in height and diameter, though absolute basal area response of saplings exceeded that of seedlings owing to large differences in pretreatment diameters. N-fertilization increased average foliar N from 2.51 to 3.94% in yr 1, but this concentration declined sharply thereafter and was at the control level by yr 4. P fertilization increased average foliar P from 0.12 to 0.21% in yr 1, with further increases through yr 5. K fertilization increased average foliar K from 1.01 to 1.21% over the 5-yr period, though there was considerable year-to-year variation.

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