Response of Two Years Growth and Establishment of Quercus castaneifolia Seedling in Competition with Rubus fructicosus in a Caspian Lowland Intervened Forest

Initial growth of Quercus castaneifolia (C.A.Meyer.) seedling in competition with Rubus fructicosus L. was investigated in a Caspian lowland intervened forest located in Noor city, north of Iran. The research was conducted as factorial experiment in three replications. For this purpose, seedlings of 3 and 5 mm in collar diameter (CD) were planted in areas a (covered with Rubus), b (without Rubus) and, c (removed from Rubus) in 0.5 m radius around each Quercus seedling and studied for a two growth periods. The results revealed that 1-year and 2-year survivals and height increments in seedlings with greater CD were greater than those with smaller CD. Survival was highest in 1-year seedlings in the area covered with Rubus, and in 2-year seedlings in the area covered with Rubus and removed from Rubus. Although in 1-year and 2-year periods, height increment was not different in Rubus treatments but CD increment was highest in the area removed from Rubus. The results of the second year growth showed that seedlings with larger CD had higher survival and larger height increments. The CD increments of seedlings was also greater in the area removed from Rubus. From results of two years investigation it can be concluded that in the areas occupied by Rubus, planting Quercus seedling with larger CD, and removing Rubus around the seedling, provides suitable condition for establishment of Quercus seedling.