Effet des techniques de coupe sur la hauteur des cépées dans un taillis de chataignier (Castaneasativa Mill.)

Abstract

The effects of both cutting tool and cutting height on the height of each stool's dominant shoot, 1 year after the cut were studied on a sweet chestnut coppice of west central France, traditionally managed with short rotations (between 6 and 10 years). Two tools (axe, chainsaw) and two heights (10 and 30 cm) were used in an experimental area of 0.5 ha divided into three blocks. One year after the cut, the height of the stool's dominant shoot was clearly correlated with morphological features of the stool, especially its mean diameter. The relation between these variables is affected by the environment (block effect) and, to a lesser extent, by the tool used for cutting: the chainsaw reduced the dominant shoot height. No effect of cutting height on this variable was observed.