© 2001 by Institute of Chartered Foresters
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The influence of spring frosts, ash bud moth (Prays fraxinella) and site factors on forking of young ash (Fraxinus excelsior)in southern Britain
Forestry Commission Research Agency, Alice Holt Lodge, Wrecclesham, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LH, UK
Forking below 6 m is a serious defect in ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior L.) if production of quality timer is an important objective. Forty-two sites in southern Britain were surveyed to examine the proportion of trees that had forked and to investigate possible causes, mainly incidence of frosts and ash bud moth (Prays fraxinella Bjerk.) In total, 69 per cent of 4147 trees had at least one fork with 29 per cent having more than one. Between 1991 and 1994, 19 per cent of trees forked but in 1995 and 1996 the figure was much higher at 39 per cent. Both 1995 and 1996 had many frosts in April and May, when ash is usually breaking bud, whereas in 1993 and 1994 frosts in the same period were less common. There is thus an implication that late spring frosts may be a significant cause of forking. However, the survey did not produce further evidence for a link between frosts and forking because meteorological data had been recorded remotely and was probably not an accurate measure of on-site temperatures. Ash bud moth was found in approximately 0.2 per cent of 4106 buds sampled and it is concluded that this is unlikely to be a serious cause of forking of newly planted ash trees in southern Britain.
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