Fall defoliation was followed by a depletion of carbohydrate (CHO) reserves and reduction or prevention of yield if defoliation occurred prior to November 1. Refoliation of August-defoliated trees restored the depleted reserves in current season’s wood tissues by December 1 but either completely prevented or greatly reduced yield the next year. September defoliation caused the greatest depletion of reserves and prevented pistillate or staminate flower production the next year. Defoliation on November 1 had no significant effect on CHO reserves.
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Ray E. Worley (1979) studied this question.
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