Variation among four white ash families in response to competition and allelopathy

Abstract

Analysis of three environmental variables affecting seedling growth of four half-sib white ash families was dominated by a three-way interaction between soil moisture stress, fescue leachate, and family. Of these, soil moisture stress contributed by far the most to the interaction and resulted in an average growth decline of 62%. Although fescue leachate appeared to be phytotoxic to ash seedlings, it had a lesser effect resulting in changes in height rankings among families. Seedling families which grew well under moisture stress also tended to be tallest in the presence of fescue leachate. However, seedling families which were tallest under optimum growing conditions were not necessarily tallest when exposed to moisture stress.

Citation

Rink, George; Van Sambeek, J.W. 1987. Variation among four white ash families in response to competition and allelopathy. Forest Ecology and Management. 18: 127-134.