Methodology for determining vitality of Norway spruce according to the criterion of developmental development of buds
Abstract
The aim of the methodology is to present a new criterion for the macroscopic evaluation of vitality of Norway spruce according to the developmental directions of vegetative buds at the end part of a representative branch taken from the production part of the tree crown. The methodology enables adult spruce, i.e. rod growth or older, to obtain information about the vitality of the tree, i.e. the potential for restoring the crown from bud meristems present in the production part of the tree, the potential for restoring the photosynthetic apparatus and assimilation ability of the tree.
The methodology makes it possible to obtain this information in a given year and to reconstruct the retrospective trend of tree vitality development in the last n years depending on the number of needles years (n = (number of needles years) - 1, i.e. about 6-10 years). The criterion of the developmental directions of buds on the collected end part of the spruce branch and the criterion of the development potential of the branch, or tree, derived from it, also allows predicting the ability to regenerate the tree crown next year or near future.
Using this methodology, it is possible to regulate the cultivation interventions, whether in terms of nursing or restoration of stands, by monitoring the development of vegetation vitality and its individual components, as well as to decide which crop component the cultivation intervention should be preferentially directed to and which crop component is the core of nursing care. This method can detect still growing trees that may look macroscopically damaged but have good growth potential of the crown renewal in the following years.
Similarly, it is possible to identify trees that may look macroscopic, healthy and prosperous by the defoliation and colour changes of the needles, but they no longer have the growth potential for crown renewal in the event of stress factors and are therefore not perspective.