The productivity of Australia’s softwood plantation estate, with current yields often less than rainfall limited potential, must be improved.
Soundly calibrated process-based growth modelling with underpinning national spatial climatic and edaphic data provides a consistent analytical approach to determining the numerous factors affecting yield, including climate change.
The project will use contributed research and inventory data to estimate potential yield – and thus operational yield gaps – and adapt and calibrate the APSIM model to explore genetic, climate, soil and management interrelationships. A modelling capability will be developed for industry’s use to inform region- and site-specific management strategies and practice across regions.
The ProFert fertiliser tool will be calibrated to cover a wider range of stand ages, climates, soils and species in order to model the potential effects of different fertiliser regimes on boosting stand yield.
Program:
Plantation Nutrition Investment Plan and Plantation Silviculture Investment Plan (further detail available here)
Research Organisation:
McGrath Forestry Services Pty Ltd (John McGrath)
