Effects of Spring Defoliation on First-Year Growth of Young Loblolly and Slash Pines

摘要

Partial and complete spring defoliation reduced first-year diameter, height, and volume growth of 4-year-old loblolly and slash pines. Early and late growth differed significantly between defoliation levels (P=0.05). However, the number of height-growth flushes produced during the 1986 growing season was not affected by defoliation treatments. No mortality occurred during 1986. Mean volume growth loss of the 100-percent defoliated trees was 68 and 56 percent, respectively, for loblolly and slash pines.