An approach to the growth analysis of perennial plants

Abstract

Classical growth analysis is interpreted in the context of perennial plant growth. The inter­pretation was prompted by a long-term field experiment on apple; infrequent tree samples and the deciduous nature of apple prevented the simple quantification of growth relative to the plant’s biomass. Absolute growth rates are related to the mass of the dormant tree and from this evolves an analogue of the leaf/plant mass ratio as used in the growth analysis of annual plants.