In order to promote the growth of mid-aged Pinus elliottii plantation, the effects of different fertilizing amounts of formula fertilizer were studied on the growth, the soil and cost-benefit of 9 year-old Pinus el/iottii plantations in the north- ern part of Hunan, China. Three years after fertilization, the results showed that the increments of DBH, height, individual volume and stock volume of stand, and the fertilizer benefit of the different fertilization treatments were higher than the control to varying degrees, and among them, 700 g/tree was the best for promoting the growth of Pinus elliottii. Two years fertilization, the soil nutrients were improved compared with before, pH values of different layers decreased, organic matter and rapid available K contents increased, and rapid available N content increased dra- matically with the upper layer having an increase higher than the lower one; rapid available P decreased at different levels with the upper layer having a decrease lower than the lower one; and proper application of fertilizer could promote the growth of Pisolithus tinctofius, and 7 months after fertilization, the number of Pisolithus fruiting body generally increased with the increase of the fertilizer within 100-800 g/tree. The yield and benefit per unit area could be increased by fertiliza- tion for 1 time in middle-aged Pinus elliottii plantations, and the best fertilizing amount was N-P-K fertilizer 700 g/tree.
