Comparison of Growth Rate of Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) on Productive and Marginal Cultivated Lands for Sustainable Agroforestry Systems

Abstract

Robinia pseudoacacia is considered as a multipurpose tree because of its great adaptability to face environmental stresses and restore degraded sites, its valuable wood, easy propagation, excellent coppicing potential especially for high yield biomass production, high seedling survival etc. This tree represents an interesting perspective in ecological engineering, agroforestry and urban forest. For this reason, understanding its growth dynamics falls within the criteria of forest and peri-urban sustainability. The effects of soil condition on the survival and growth of Robinia pseudoacacia planted on degraded and cultivated land, respectively in Monte Romano site and Azienda Agraria didattico-sperimentale “Nello Lupori” site, in Italy, were studied in a field transplant experiment using the analysis of variance. Cultivated land showed higher survival rate because of the better soil, topography and climatic conditions. Height and diameter growth responded differently to soil conditions and monitoring period. Mean height and diameter increases were higher in cultivated land. A significant difference in height was found between the initial and final periods in cultivated land. This study is considered important because the selected species can help improving the soil conditions of the selected site so in the future this area can be reforested with valuable wood species. This has to be taken into consideration especially for Albania when illegal logging has created a strong decrease of forest surface associated with soil erosion phenomenon, overflooding, as well as overuse of the forest for firewood to fulfill the people demand, especially in rural areas. In addition, honey production is an important agroforestry aspect and the flowers of Robinia pseudoacacia are known for the production of good quality honey; moreover they can be used as medicinal plants.