Shoot Tip Abortion in Ulmus americana

Abstract

Millington, W. F. (Marquette U., Milwaukee, Wis.) Shoot tip abortion in Ulmus americana. Amor. Jour. Bot. 50(4): 371–378. Illus. 1963.—Phenological observations of American elm have shown that the phenomenon of shoot tip abortion in which the distal several plastochrons of each shoot turn yellow and abort, inducing sympodial growth, occurs over a period of several weeks starting at the time fruits are shed from older trees. Time of abortion varies among plants of different age, among individuals of the same age, and among shoots on the same individual. In the latter case, time of abortion is inversely correlated with the vigor of the shoot, the most vigorous shoots on a branch being the last to abort. Abortion is first evident in the yellowing of the entire shoot tip. Cytohistological studies show that necrosis commences at the sixth to eighth node back of the apex, where it is apparent in autolysis of internal cells of the stipules. Necrosis progresses acropetally in the stipules and young leaves and ultimately involves the leaf primordia at the shoot apex. Mitosis ceases in the shoot apex and its meristematic appearance is lost. These changes follow in basipetal sequence in the axillary buds down to the bud below the abscission site. This bud remains active and will resume growth the following season. The abscission site is evident externally as a green-yellow boundary in the basal part of the internode. No protective layer is present at the time of abscission, but it develops after the shoot tip abscises. There is no indication of blocking of vascular tissues before shoot tip abortion and limitation of water supply probably is not a causal factor. Photoperiod studies show that shoot tip abortion is accelerated in short days and delayed but not prevented in long days. Greenhouse experiments show that abortion is delayed also in seedlings, in plants supplied with organic fertilizer, or grown with the roots unconfined. Plants grown in a nutrient solution deficient in nitrogen aborted ahead of controls and plants deficient in calcium. Although shoot tip abortion occurs coincident with fruit drop, there is no indication of a causal relationship. The literature relating to shoot tip abortion is discussed in relation to the above observations.