PHENOLOGIES OF 16 EUROPEAN PROVENANCES OF SESSILE OAK GROWING IN SCOTLAND

Budburst, budset, leaf yellowing, growth, and frost damage were assess ed on 2- to 4-year-old transplants of 16 provenances of sessile oak (Q uercus petraea) collected in six European countries and grown in Scotl and. There were significant differences in dates of budburst between p rovenances. Provenances from France and Austria burst bud earlier than the others (P < 0.05). Budburst date was negatively correlated with a ltitude of provenance origin but positively correlated with latitude, indicating that southern provenances burst bud earlier than northern p rovenances and are therefore more prone to spring frost damage. Althou gh there were no significant differences of growth between provenances , French provenances tended to grow later in autumn than provenances o riginating in other countries. Consequently plants from these French p rovenances were more badly damaged by autumnal frosts (P < 0.05) than plants from other provenances. Budset and leaf yellowing in late Septe mber were positively correlated.