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Abstract
Sugar maple root starch evaluations were done in 1987 and 1988 as a service to Vermont sugarmakers concerned about tree health. Trees were rated for starch content in late fall, using a visual iodine-staining technique. On the average, trees with heavy pear thrips damage in the spring of 1988 had higher levels of root starch the following fall than trees with light or moderate damage. Trees with heavy damage actually had more starch in 1988 than they had the previous fall. Starch in trees with light and moderate defoliation did not increase. Possible explanations for higher starch in heavily damaged trees include early refoliation, energy reserves from the first leaf flush, and 1988 drought conditions.
Parent Publication
Citation
Burns, Barbara S. 1991. Root starch in defoliated sugar maples following thrips damage. Parker, Bruce. L.; Skinner, Margaret; Lewis, Trevor, eds. Towards Understanding Thysanoptera. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-147. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station: 257-265.
