Shoot growth, trunk diameter (at 130 cm), plant height, average area of one leaf, leaf number per plant, total leaf area per plant, leaf mass per area (LMA), weight of the pruning material after pruning all branches attached in the lowest 2 m of the stem, net photosynthesis (Pn) of the whole canopy, and leaf greenness index of elm trees growing with no mulch or with either 5 cm or 10 cm mulch layer composed of a mix of green material and kitchen wastes. Different letters within the same row indicate significant differences among treatments at P < 0.01 using Tukey’s HSD test.
Parameter | Year | Treatment | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Control | 5 cm layer | 10 cm layer | ||
Shoot elongation (cm) | 1st year | 52.5 b | 80.8 a | 82.9 a |
2nd year | 44.11 b | 67.77 a | 71.02 a | |
3rd year | 31.37 b | 38.83 ab | 45.37 a | |
Trunk diameter at 130 cm | 1st year | 1.4 c | 1.7 b | 2.1 a |
2nd year | 3.42 b | 3.91 b | 4.42 a | |
3rd year | 4.95 c | 5.59 b | 6.37 a | |
Plant height (m) | 1st year | 3.40 c | 4.34 ab | 4.65 a |
2nd year | 5.24 c | 5.77 b | 6.23 a | |
Leaf area (cm) | 1st year | 28.61 a | 28.72 a | 31.96 a |
2nd year | 31.07 a | 31.34 a | 33.23 a | |
3rd year | 28.46 a | 30.39 a | 31.53 a | |
Leaf number/plant | 1st year | 344.82 b | 376.96 b | 586.58 a |
Total leaf area/plant (m2) | 1st year | 0.98 b | 1.08 b | 1.87 a |
LMA (g/m2) | 1st year | 84.9 a | 94.7 a | 99.9 a |
2nd year | 79 a | 75 a | 77 a | |
3rd year | 113.7 a | 113.9 a | 115.6 a | |
Pruning weight (g) | 2nd year | 228.77 b | 467.62 a | 484.68 a |
Pn on whole plant basis (g hour−1) | 1st year | 0.42 b | 0.45 b | 0.67 a |
Leaf greenness index (SPAD units) | 1st year | 39.8 b | 44.4 a | 45.7 a |
2nd year | 47.2 b | 50.0 a | 50.1 a | |
3rd year | 49.7 a | 48.4 a | 50.0 a |