Effect of Density and Pruning Intensity on Canopy Characteristics of Cinnamomum bodinieri Stand

Experiments were carried out in 2009 on effect of different density, pruning intensity and pruning time on canopy characteristics of Cinnamomum bodinieri plantation in Xiuwen, Guizhou province, with orthogonal design. Investigations in 2011 demonstrated that leaf area index ranged from 0.64 to 1.28, mean leaf angle was 13.87°-14.51°, light transmittance was 0.21-0.49 at stands with density of 2505 trees/ha with different pruning intensity and time. Stand with density of 3330 tree/ha had the highest leaf area index of 0.76-1.52, and that with density of 1665 tree/ha had the largest light transmittance, up to 0.58. Stand with pruning treatments had better canopy structure than that without pruning. Pruning time had no great effect on stand canopy. The experiment resulted that the plantation with density of 2505 tree/ha, pruning of 1/3 branch in spring had the best canopy structure.