Comparison of the Needle Nutrient Element Contents of Different Parent Clones in Chinese Fir

This study aimed to quantify needle nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) content of twenty stock plants in Chinese fir scion nursery. The obtained results indicated that N content (average 15.70 g/kg) ranked the first in needle elements, and Mg (average 1.10 g/kg) positioned the last in element content. Needle N, P and K content appeared to be positively correlated to each other at a significant level (P < 0.01 or 0.05), and it was the same for Ca with Mg (P < 0.01). Strikingly, each needle nutrient element content varied significantly among clones (P < 0.01) with a coefficient of variation ranging from 10.80 to 25.97%. The needle nutrient element content ratio also varied among clones as high for K/Ca and low for N/P. According to principal component analysis result, ten Chinese fir stock plant clones (cXK12, cXF03, cXK13, cXK14, cXF13, cXF01, cXK01, cXF06, T-c07, cXF14) were identified to have higher uptake ability on nutrient elements.