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Table 4 Stem diameter variations by circadian cycle phases for fertilized and control stone pine trees expressed as mm × 100

From: Effects of fertilization on radial growth of Pinus pinea explored hourly using dendrometers

Season

Contraction

Total expansion (P2 + P3)

Stem diameter increment

Fertilized

Control

Fertilized

Control

Fertilized

Control

Winter

0.12 ± 0.05 c

0.11 ± 0.05 c

5.66 ± 0.69 b

1.35 ± 1.40 c

6.12 ± 0.69 b

1.96 ± 1.42 c

Spring

0.08 ± 0.05 c

0.17 ± 0.04 c

8.56 ± 0.65 a

3.77 ± 0.54 c

9.20 ± 0.66 a

4.18 ± 0.54 bc

Summer

0.35 ± 0.05 a

0.30 ± 0.04 ab

3.37 ± 0.6 c

2.07 ± 0.65 c

4.01 ± 0.61 bc

2.54 ± 0.66 c

Autumn

0.14 ± 0.05 c

0.20 ± 0.04 bc

1.38 ± 1.63 c

2.12 ± 1.63 c

1.53 ± 1.64 c

2.76 ± 1.64 bc

  1. Contraction: maximum cycle stem shrinkage, difference between the maximum stem diameter value of the previous cycle and the minimum stem diameter value of the cycle (P1). Total expansion: maximum cycle stem expansion, difference between the minimum and the maximum stem diameter value of the cycle (P2 + P3). Stem diameter increment: stem growth cycle rate (difference between the maximum values of two consecutives cycles) (P3). Mean ± SE. By circadian cycle component, different letters indicate statistically significant differences between treatments by season (p < 0.05). One month of winter (August), spring (November), summer (February) and autumn (May) was studied