Cultivation Techniques for the Suitable Tree Species Metasequoia in Jiangxi Province

Metasequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) is an ancient and rare tree species native to Hubei, China, and has been listed as a national first-class protected tree species. It is fast-growing, light-demanding, cold-tolerant, and highly adaptable, and has been introduced and cultivated throughout both northern and southern China. In its place of origin, it is distributed at an elevation of 900-1500 m, mainly growing in well-drained gullies, streamside areas and mountain hollows with deep, fertile soil. However, it grows poorly in low-lying wet sites where the water table is too high and water accumulates for long periods. When introducing it, alluvial soil along rivers in the plains is generally preferable, while in hilly and mountainous areas it grows vigorously on mountain yellow soil, and mountain hollows and relatively moist gentle slopes at the foot of mountains are more suitable.

Afforestation techniques:

(1) Propagation: sowing or cuttings can be used, but because mother trees are currently scarce and seed production is limited, cutting propagation is the main method.

Sowing propagation: Metasequoia seeds are small and intolerant of drought and waterlogging, so flat, fertile, loose sandy loam with convenient drainage and irrigation should be chosen as the nursery site. The sowing period is best when the soil temperature is above 12°C, mostly from late March to early April. During seed germination and the seedling stage, care should be taken to water frequently to keep the soil moist, and appropriate shading should be provided.

Cutting propagation: take cuttings in late March and early April, cutting and inserting them immediately. Use 1-2 year old seedling stock or newly sprouted shoots of the current year cut into cuttings. Treat the lower end of the cuttings with naphthalene acetic acid at a concentration of 50 ppm, soaking for 20-24 hours to promote rooting and increase the survival rate. Insert 100-130 cuttings per square meter. After insertion, keep the seedbed moist. After about 40 days, new roots sprout, and every 10 days apply 1 application of dilute human waste, applying 3-5 times in succession. In June, nitrogen fertilizer can be applied, preferably in small amounts and many times, at 3-4 kg of urea per mu, watered on. In early August, apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once, at 15 kg of compound fertilizer per mu watered on, and 20 kg of phosphate fertilizer broadcast on the seedbed.

(2) Afforestation: afforestation can be carried out from late autumn to early spring, with late winter being best. Select 2-3 year old seedlings, generally 1.5-2.0 m tall, with ground diameter reaching more than 3-4 cm. A spacing of 2 x 3 m can be used, at 110 trees per mu. Prepare large planting holes, 50-60 cm in diameter and 50 cm deep, and apply appropriate base fertilizer when backfilling soil. When intercropping trees with crops, full-site preparation can be used. 3. tending and management: after afforestation, tending should be carried out promptly. Watering in April and May is the key to ensuring survival. When planting large seedlings, special attention must be paid to drought resistance during the hot season. Carry out weeding and loosening of the soil two to three times each year, with tending in May-June and August-September being notably effective. After 2 years, applying fertilizer once before spring budding is very necessary. Before the stand is established, pruning is generally unnecessary; after the stand is established, pruning should be moderate. When tree height is 6-10 m, the pruning height is one quarter to one third of tree height; when tree height is 10-15 m, the pruning height is one third to one half of tree height.