Leaf phenology and wood formation of white cedar trees (Melia azedarach L.) and their responses to climate variability

Abstract

© 2018, Prince of Songkla University. All rights reserved. This research aimed to investigate the response of leaf phenologies and wood increments of Melia azedarach L. on climate variability. The visual estimation indicated the leaf flushing in January-July, the leaf maturation in January-November, and the leaf abscission in May-June and October-December. Monthly wood investigations of the inside bark diameters (IBD) indicated an annual-ring formation with the wood increment in February-November and the dormancy in December-January. The outside bark diameter (OBD) exhibited growth variations with phases of slow increment in September-October, shrinkage in December-February, and fast increment in March-August. The relationship among monthly climates, leaf phenologies and wood increments, indicated the significant correlations of the soil moisture and the abundances of mature dark green leaves on the IBD, while the OBD was fluctuated due to the direct effect of the IBD and the indirect effect of the soil moisture and mature dark green leaf abundances.