Poster
Riassunto: Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is a shrub growing in the Mediterranean maquis. Because of its aromatic characteristics, both fruit and vegetative biomass of myrtle are largely harvested from spontaneous plants in Sardinia specially for liqueur making. Little information is available on the natural ability of spontaneous myrtle plants to regenerate biomass, on the ecological relations of this species with other shrubs, and on the forest management of myrtle. Twelve 100 m2-plots of Mediterranean maquis located in North-Western Sardinia were observed from 1997 to 1999. Myrtle natural cover was over 50% of the area in all plots. The following myrtle harvest treatments were tested: hand picking of fruit without pruning the plants (control); plant pruning at the collar and complete removal of fruit and biomass; plant pruning at 80 cm above the soil, complete fruit removal with partial removal of biomass; and combined plant pruning of each plant by cutting 1/3 of branches at the collar and 1/3 of the branches at 80 cm from the soil, and leaving the remaining branches unpruned with complete fruit removal. Total biomass yield was measured by direct harvest from the plots pruned at the collar, in order to estimate biomass production of the remaining plots. The vegetation cover before and after fruit and biomass harvests was graphically represented. The following parameters were evaluated: variations in fruit and biomass production per plot, soil cover by myrtle as related to other shrubs, and soil organic matter content. Plots pruned at 80 cm had values of fruit and biomass production, and soil cover by myrtle that were intermediate between those of the plots pruned at the collar and those subjected to mixed pruning.
Citazione: Mulas M, Perinu B, Francesconi AHD (1999). Biomass yield and forest management of Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) in the Mediterranean maquis. In: II Congresso Nazionale SISEF “Applicazioni e prospettive per la ricerca forestale italiana“ (Centro Fieristico, Bologna 20-22 Ottobre 1999), Abstract-book, Contributo #c02.6.25. - [online] URL: https://congressi.sisef.org/?action=paper&id=1092