Monterey pine in arboriculture for wood production: analysis of some plantations realized in Southern Italy

Abstract

The present paper deals with the results obtained in 19/20 years-old Monterey pine plantations, realized at various elevations and with different tree spacing in Campania (southern Italy). As a whole, results confirm that Monterey pine is a valuable species to be employed in arboriculture for wood production in marginal agricultural lands in Mediterranean environments. Moreover, the best results, both in terms of productivity and tree form, were attained in those stands located above 500 m a.s.l., where mean monthly rainfall exceeds 100 mm in the winter-spring months. Therefore, the optimum area for this species can be referred to the belt included between the warm sub-zone of Castanetum and the cold sub-zone of Lauretum type II.