The effect of reduced quantities of photosynthetically active radiation on Fraxinus pennsylvanica growth and architecture

Abstract

The quantity and quality of light have significant effects on tree growth and architecture that can be highly variable depending on the shade tolerance of the species. A study was conducted to determine the effect of decreased availability of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on the growth and architecture of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima (Vahl) Fern.), a moderately shade-tolerant species. Twenty-four seedlings were planted in each of five shade treatments (4, 8, 20, 40, and 100% of full sun, respectively). Measurements made over a 2-year period revealed that with decreased PAR levels there was generally a reduction in leaf thickness, number of shoot units per shoot, shoot-unit length, shoot growth, branching frequency, lateral shoot growth, and shoot biomass. However, in moderate reductions of PAR, there were increases in shoot unit numbers, overall shoot length, and branch numbers. The overall effect of heavy shading was to produce a tree with little height growth and a poorly developed crown.Key words: Fraxinus, shading, seedling morphology, shoot unit, light quantity, architecture.