Effects of Cutting Season, Stump Diameter and Cutting Tool on the Sprout Regeneration of Acacia auriculiformis

Three studies were established to look at the effects of cutting season, stump diameter and cutting tool on the sprout regeneration of Acacia auriculiformis at Yangjiang (11030' E, 1814'N), Qionghai County of Hainan Province. In the first study, a 3-year-old plantation was cut at a stump height of 60cm in the four months of March, May,September and December. The greatest survival percentage of the stumps was obtained with cutting in December, followed by cutting in May and March. Cutting in September resulted in the least survival percentage of the stumps. In the second study, 46-month-old trees varying in DBH from 0.1 to 12.0cm were cut at a stump height of 60cm. The survival percentage of the stumps decreased with the increases of DBH greater than 4 cm. However, the growth of diameter and height of the sprouts increased with the increases of DBH. In the third study, 3-year-old tree were cut at two stump heights, 60cm and 100cm, with axe and handsaw. The number of sprouts produced per stump, and diameter and height of the sprouts were significantly different by stump height but not by cutting tool. Both stump height and cutting tool had no significant effect on the sprouting and survival percentages of the stumps, and no significant effect of interaction between stump height and cutting tool was found for all variables.