Dry season irrigation promotes leaf growth in Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis under fertilization

Abstract

Leaves are essential for photosynthesis and gas exchange, and their growth characteristics are the key factors that influence the carbon budget. Eucalyptus is widely afforested in south China due to its fast-growing and high-yield features. Water and fertilizer are the main factors affecting plant growth. Studying the effects of different water and fertilizer treatments on the growth of Eucalyptus leaves under seasonal drought could further elucidate the optimal additions for Eucalyptus productivity. In this study, we investigated the leaf area, length, width, perimeter, and expansion rates of the commercial species E. urophylla × E. grandis under different treatments of dry season irrigation and fertilizer application to elucidate the growth dynamics of the leaves. The results indicated that both dry season irrigation and fertilizer could affect whole leaf expansion. Leaf area was largest when water and fertilizer were added at the same time. In this experiment, we found that fertilization had a significant effect on the leaf shape index of the Eucalyptus leaves. The leaf shape index was larger with the fertilizer treatment, which made the leaves slender. Dry season irrigation shorten the peak period of leaf growth and increase the leaf area. Our results help to further understand the mechanism of Eucalyptus productivity under seasonal drought and provide theoretical support for Eucalyptus production.