COMPLETE DEFOLIATION INDUCES RENEWAL OF S HOOT ELONGATION AND TEMPORARY INHIBITION OF RADIAL GROWTH IN ASH TREE (FRAXINUS-EXCELSIOR L)

Complete defoliation was performed 10, 20, 30, and 40 days after the a rrest of shoot elongation in ash saplings grown in controlled conditio ns. complete defoliation caused renewed growth of arrested terminal bu d. Radial growth was stopped 24 h after defoliation. Increase in shoot diameter was observed 20 days after the removal of the leaves. Stem l ength of 5 month old defoliated trees cultivated in controlled environ ment was equal to those of 2 year old trees grown in natural condition s Histological studies showed that the increment produced after defoli ation was analogous to an annual ring.