Influence of Limestone Powder Doses on Growth of Schima superba in Pinus massoniana Plantation in the Acid Rain Region of Chongqing,China

An evaluation of the impact of scattering limestone powder on acidified soil surface on the growth of young trees of Schima superba under crowns of a Pinus massoniana plantation(three years and four months after treatment) were made by a long-term field fixed position experiment,which was conducted in the Tieshanping Forest Farm of Chongqing City in 2004.The randomized complete block experiment had five treatments and three replicates: the doses of one-time scattering of 0(control),1,2,3 and 4 t·hm-2 finely ground limestone respectively.The effect was significant: surface limestone could ameliorate health condition of the young trees of S.superba and among them the optimum dose was 2 t·hm-2.The mean canopy thickness,crown size,height and diameter of the base at 20 cm above the ground of the young trees of S.superba treated by 2 t·hm-2 increased by 96.84%,52.68%,77.47% and 61.19% respectively(P0.05) compared to the control.