Changes in the morphometric and anatomical parameters of shoots and leaves of Acer platanoides L. after rejuvenation pruning

Abstract

The influence of rejuvenation pruning on changes in anatomical and morphometric characteristics of annual shoots and leaves of Acer platanoides L. in the conditions of Dnipro (Ukraine) has been investigated. In the first two years after pruning, a significant intensification of growth processes is observed. The length and diameter of annual shoots, the number of internodes and leaves, and the area of the leaf blade increased. Pruning has a particularly noticeable effect on the increase in the length of annual shoots and the area of the assimilation surface of the shootin the first year after pruning, they increased by 4.6 and 3.2 times, respectively. In rejuvenated plants, a thickening of the leaf blade occurs, mainly due to the development of a spongy parenchyma. In the fourth year after pruning, the intensity of growth processes decreases and differs little from the control (unpruned) plants. The leaves of crowned plants are damaged more significantly than those of unpruned ones. In four years, the rejuvena-ted plants restore their crowns well.