EFFICIENCY OF NUTRIENT UTILIZATION IN AN AGE SERIES OF EUCALYPTUS TERETICORNIS PLANTATIONS IN THE TARAI BELT OF CENTRAL HIMALAYA

Abstract

An attempt was made to examine the use of N, P and K in an age series of 1 to 8-y-old Eucalyptus tereticornis plantations in the Tarai belt of Central Himalaya. Various parameters were calculated, viz. nutrient uptake, nutrient reabsoprtion before leaf abscission, nutrient use efficiency, and above-ground productivity per unit leaf nutrient. The foliage nutrient concentration and fractional nutrient reabsorption before leaf abscission decreased with the increase in plantation age. The above-ground productivity per unit leaf nutrient (g g^-1 leaf nutrient y^-1) decreased with the increase in plantation age as a result of which the nutrient use efficiency (g g^-1) increased with increasing plantation age.