Shoot and leaf growth in Fraxinuspennsylvanica and its relation to crown location and pruning

Abstract

Elongation of shoots in various crown locations, and of individual internodes and leaves of the leading shoot, were recorded at 2-day intervals throughout the 1991 growing season in four clones of Fraxinuspennsylvanica var. subintegerrima (Vahl) Fern. (green ash). Other trees were disbudded and pruned to a single leader. Using a logistic growth function, nonlinear regression equations were generated and parameter estimates were used to determine maximum growth rates. Terminal leading shoots had a longer growth duration and a greater maximum growth rate than lateral shoots. The pruning treatment resulted in larger shoots, which grew 2–3 weeks longer and had a higher maximum growth rate. Leaf emergence occurred at regular intervals but the rate of emergence varied among clones. Leaf maximum growth rates were not significantly different among clones. Leaf size declined acropetally whereas internode length increased and then decreased. The longest leaves and internodes had the highest maximum growth rates. The size and maximum growth rates of putative preformed leaves were larger than putative neoformed leaves. As a shoot expanded, growth of one internode tended to cease during the linear phase of growth of its associated leaf and that of the succeeding internode.