Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: The frequent failure of deteriorating aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones to regenerate vegetatively by root suckers was studied by comparing the suckering capacity of these clones with adjacent healthy clones. Sucker production from root cuttings was used to evaluate the suckering capacity of a clone. Scarcity of regeneration in deteriorating clones was found to be unrelated to the ability of roots to sucker. A hypothesis based on the apical dominance phenomenon is presented to account for the low numbers of suckers produced by deteriorating clones. Stand data, sucker densities, and root ages of the clones are compared. Aspects of aspen deterioration discussed include relationship between deterioration and genotype, role of pathogens including viruses, and possibilities of revitalizing deteriorating clones by cultural methods.
Author: George A. Schier
Language: English
Subfield: Forestry
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W41387843