Characterisation of the height growth of Pericopsis elata (Harms) in the plantations of the Deng-Deng Forest Reserve, Cameroon

Three silvicultural experiments with Pericopsis elata were carried out in the Deng-Deng Forest Reserve in 1974 to understand the silviculture of this specie. However, this work has not yet yielded its full results. The objective of the present study is to construct productivity curves and evaluate the effect of silvicultural method and planting type on the height growth of Pericopsis elata. The data collected for this study came from 9 stem analyses carried out in the plantations. A fit to the Johnson-Schumacher model was performed. The variability of productivity curves between the three plantations indicates that there is a consistent relationship between silvicultural methods, planting types and Assamela fertility indices. Three levels of fertility were identified for each plantation at 40 years (H40): 18 m, 22 m and 26 m for P741; 12 m, 15 m and 18 m for P745 and 15 m, 20 m and 25 m for P746. The open field method shows the best growth performance in height (18 m ≤ Ht ≤ 26 m) regardless of plant type, compared to the layered method. Following the large layered silvicultural method, short stumps show better height growth (15 m ≤ Ht ≤ 25 m) than bagged seedlings (12 m ≤ Ht ≤ 18 m).