Tag: Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.

This study assessed the effectiveness of V-shaped rainwater-harvesting micro catchments and selected plant-supportive amendments on soil moisture dynamics, survival, and early growth performance of narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) during three consecutive growing seasons (2022–2024) in western Türkiye. By the end of the first growing season, mean seedling survival was approximately 63% across treatments. However, complete mortality (100%) occurred in conventional terrace control plots by the second growing season, indicating plantation failure under this method. In contrast, V-shaped micro catchments maintained survival rates of 65% in the second year and 57% after three years. Volumetric soil water content (0–20 cm) measured during the peak drought period (July–September) was consistently higher in micro catchments than in terrace controls. In September 2024, soil moisture in the micro catchment control (C-V) reached 8.17% at the upper position and 5.88% at the lower position, compared to 3.83% and 1.53%, respectively, in terrace plots. Relative diameter increment (RDI) differed significantly among treatments (p < 0.0001), with the straw-based lignocellulosic superabsorbent polymer increasing stem diameter growth by approximately 40% compared with other micro catchment treatments. Relative height increment (RHI) was up to 2.3 times greater in micro catchment plots than in terrace controls. These findings demonstrate that integrating structural rainwater harvesting with wood- and plant-derived water-retaining amendments substantially enhances soil water availability, seedling survival, and early stem growth of F. angustifolia, thereby improving hardwood plantation establishment and resilience under semi-arid Mediterranean environments