Growth and yield of unthinned Honduras Pine grown to small sawlog sizes

Abstract

Unthinned spacing of Honduras pine (Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis Morelet) ranging in age from 23.3 to 25 years, was evaluated at four installations in Puerto Rico on the basis of survival, growth, and yield. Results showed that marked significant differences existed in means of survival, diameters, and heights of trees in spacings ranging from 1.5 x 1.5 m to 4.3 x 4.3 m. However, because of decreasing diameter and height growth and increasing mortality in the narrower spacings (1.5 m, 2.1 m), and continued rapid diameter growth in the wider spacings (3.0 m, 4.3 m), there were no significant differences in basal area, total inside bark volume, and mean annual volume increment among spacings. Wide spacings are recommended where early thinnings are not possible.