Some quantitative effects of indoleacetic acid on the wood production and tracheid dimensions of Picea

Abstract

The diameter and wall thickness of tracheids produced after indoleacetic acid treatment were not significantly different from those of the intact controls, for the first few weeks after treatment of disbudded shoots of Picea abies Karst. and Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. However, lateral application of indoleacetic acid (IAA) to intact shoots increased both tracheid diameter and wall thickness; it is suggested that IAA acted synergistically with another endogenous growth regulator, which was also removed by disbudding. Increase in wall thickness after exogenous IAA was associated with increase in duration of the wall thickening phase of tracheid differentiation; this is discussed in relation to the seasonal change from early to latewood. Cambial dormancy was induced by disbudding during active wood production. Since this occurred with or without the presence of current leaves, it is concluded that in Picea continued cambial activity depends upon supply of auxin from the buds, and cannot be supplied from expanded leaves or from the internode itself. Neither indoleacetic acid nor gibberellic acid stimulated renewed cambial activity when applied after the cessation of wood production. With both disbudded and intact shoots, the effectiveness of exogenous IAA declined with time, probably due to decreasing penetration through callus developing at the wounded surface. It is suggested that this apparent change in IAA effectiveness may explain some discrepancies between the results of previous observers.