Eleventh-Year Response of Loblolly Pine and Competing Vegetation to Woody and Herbaceous Plant Control on a Georgia Flatwoods Site

Through 1 I growing seasons, growth of Ioblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) increased after control of herbaceous, woody, or both herbaceous and woody vegetation (total control)for thefirst 3 yr after planting on a bedded site in the Georgia coastal flatwoods. Gains in stand volume index from controlling either herbaceous or woody vegetatkn alone were approximately two-thirds that from controlling both types of vegetation. Pine response throicgh age I1 was approximately equalfor herbaceous control alone and woody control alone, whereas, response through age 5 was greater with control of only herbaceous vegetation. The impact of woody vegetation should continue to have a strong effect on pine growth through midrotation because ofits continued development. This is in contrast to herbaceous weeds that have greatly decreased in abundance