Field symptoms of transplanting shock in Eucalyptus nitens open rooted ( 1/2 + 1/2 ) transplants suggest water stress. To identify stages in the development of symptoms, changes in water relations were monitored from undisturbed seedlings growing in a commercial nursery through lifting, transplanting into pots and re-establishment of normal water relations. Hydraulic resistance measured as leaf specific resistivity increased with each step in the transplanting process. Resistivity after lifting was double that measured on undisturbed plants in the nursery and subsequently doubled with each of the two successive stages, root trimming and planting out. Resistivity fell after the initial rise, returning to the values recorded in the nursery in two stages. An initial rapid decrease, which was not accompanied by any measurable root growth, was followed by a seven day period without a change in resistivity before a further gradual decrease as root volume increased with new root growth. All water relations measurements were taken on trees which had not suffered any permanent leaf damage as a result of transplanting. For a small group of trees which did suffer damage there was a significant relationship between root volume at planting and the retained healthy leaf area. Before shoot growth had recommenced the final ratio of turgid leaf area to initial root volume was comparable with plants immediately after lifting and before trimming. The results are discussed in terms of the changes in predawn leaf water potential, leaf water potential and the leaf damage or defoliation symptoms occurring in plantations.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
Research Group:	Forestry sciences
Research Field:	Forestry sciences not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Plant Production and Plant Primary Products
Objective Group:	Other plant production and plant primary products
Objective Field:	Other plant production and plant primary products not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Wilson, SJ (Dr Stephen Wilson)
UTAS Author:	Clark, RJ (Professor Robert Clark)
ID Code:	14734
Year Published:	1998
Web of Science® Times Cited:	3
Deposited By:	Agricultural Science
Deposited On:	1998-08-01
Last Modified:	2011-08-09
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