Syllepsis in Larixlaricina: association of sylleptic branching with cross-sectional stem growth and stem form of saplings
The effect of sylleptic branching on past stem growth of 8-year-old Larixlaricina (Du Roi) K. Koch saplings was investigated in relation to the lengths of long shoots borne on sylleptically and proleptically originated lateral branches over a 4-year period. Over time, the sylleptic crown component accounted for increasing proportions of the total crowns of saplings exhibiting syllepsis. The total length of all long shoots in the crown increased linearly from lightly to heavily sylleptic saplings. However, groups of branches of sylleptic origin declined in average shoot vigour more rapidly than did groups of branches of proleptic origin in the same height-growth increment. Annual wood ring production and total stem cross-sectional areas at various positions along the main stem were positively correlated with the proleptic, sylleptic, and total branching components occurring above those positions. Wood production along the stem was greater, more uniform and the resultant stem more conical in heavily sylleptic saplings than in lightly sylleptic saplings. The role of syllepsis in crown and main stem development was discussed in relation to plus-tree selection for tree improvement purposes.