Effects of late-season defoliation and dark periods on initial growth of planted northern red oak seedlings
Northern red oak (Quercusrubra L.) seedlings were defoliated to various degrees in the seedbed on September 23, lifted the following April, and planted. Spring shoot growth of completely defoliated trees was about half that of control plants. Partial fall defoliation treatments included removal of upper leaves, lower leaves, terminal halves of leaves, and lateral halves of leaves. Spring shoot growth was related more closely to amount rather than type of leaves removed in the fall. When seedlings were lifted in the spring, total weight and root carbohydrate content were similar between treatments.In a second study, some seedlings were completely defoliated on September 4th, and others were subjected to total darkness for monthly or longer periods beginning in August. Nearly all leaves abscised during dark treatments. Defoliated trees and trees kept dark during August or September remained small and had low root carbohydrate contents when planted. Also, root regeneration was poor and shoot growth averaged one-third or less than that of control trees. Spring growth of seedlings increased as dark treatments were applied later in the fall, although shoot growth of October and November dark trees remained lower than that of control trees.It is suggested that some factor, possibly cytokinin, is translocated from late-season foliage and promotes seedling growth in the spring.