TWO-YEAR SURVIVAL ASSESSMENT OF OAK (QUERCUS L.) SEEDLINGS IN AN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM AT HORTINOVA NURSERY, CÂRCEA (DOLJ COUNTY)

Abstract

Agroforestry integrates trees, crops, and/or livestock to provide ecological and economic benefits, and its importance has grown in recent decades, particularly in fragile environments like Southern Oltenia, Romania. This region faces increasing aridization, deforestation, and soil degradation, although remnant oak-dominated forests persist and several autochthonous oak species remain ecologically significant. The aim of this study was to assess the survival of four oak species within an agroforestry system at HortiNova Nursery after the second growing season. The experimental plot covered 1.15 ha and included 20 square plots, with plot no. 2 planted in November 2023 with 275 container-grown oak seedlings (135 pedunculate, 65 Turkey, 38 sessile, and 37 red oaks) intercropped with onions in 2024 and maize in 2025. Seedling survival was monitored at the end of each growing season, while temperature, relative humidity, and soil properties (pH, humus, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) were recorded and analyzed. During the period from April 1 to September 15, 2025, air temperatures ranged from 1.57°C to 42.74°C (mean 22.02 ± 7.84°C) and relative humidity fluctuated between 16.45% and 89.34% (mean 54.86 ± 19.26%), with slightly higher variability compared to 2024. Soil conditions were suboptimal (pH 5.83, low humus, moderate nutrients), and oak seedling mortality in plot no. 2 was recorded as 19 pedunculate, 8 Turkey, 10 sessile, and 2 red oaks out of 275 planted.