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Natural sprouts were growing at random spacing, about 1 ft to 8 ft apart. <br />Natural sprouts selected for measurement were thinned to no closer than 5 ft spacing. <br />The potted and natural trees in all locations were from unknown genotypes, likely <br />different from the irrigated study transplants. <br />Data Collected - Prior to bud break, height of each tree, number of branches, <br />disease and insect infestation, and length of terminal leader dieback was recorded for <br />each tree. Water status and tree growth were measured periodically throughout the <br />experiment. Physical measures of growth were height (cm), basal caliper (mm), <br />number of basal sprouts (count), length of the terminal leader (cm), and length of each <br />of the next three sprouts on upper portion of tree (cm). Disease and insect infestation <br />were recorded again at the end of the growing season. <br />Water status, or leaf water potential, of the plants was measured on June 22, <br />July 21, and September 20 as near to dawn as possible (''/z hr predawn to''/2 hr after <br />sunup) to capture the minimum stress before rapid morning transpiration has depleted <br />leaf moisture. One afternoon measurement was also conducted on August 18 to <br />indicate maximum stress under high radiation loading when transpiration would be <br />highest. Treatment, ambient temperature, time of sampling and exuding pressure level <br />was recorded. Leaves were collected from the different treatments at random to <br />minimize time of sampling biases. <br />Leaf water potential will increases as water is withheld from the plant and plant <br />water stress increases. Water status measurements required removing one fully <br />matured leaf randomly selected from trees in each treatment and measured for water <br />holding capacity using a Plant Water Status Con:;ole. The leaf was removed from the <br />plant and immediately placed in a sealed chambs~r with the petiole extending through <br />a sealing hole in the chamber. A fresh slightly anctled cut was made and nitrogen gas <br />was delivered to the leaf under slowly increasing pressure until water exudes from the <br />petiole surface. The pressure necessary for this to occur is an indication of the leaf <br />water potential or water holding capacity of the leaf, an indication of the water stress <br />and thus physiological stress of the plant. Different plants from each treatment were <br />selected at each testing to minimize leaf loss from sampling. From 2-3 total <br />measurements were made from each treatment such day of measurement. Number of <br />measurements depended on the time necessary'for each measurement, so that all <br />measurements fall within the dawn-time window. Each day of measurements included <br />leaves from all irrigation treatments. Size of sampled leaf was recorded as length from <br />tip to petiole (mm), and maximum width (mm). An empirical equation was developed <br />to relate width and length to actual leaf area. <br />Results -Although the study was primarily conducted to demonstrate the <br />effectiveness of supplemental irrigation on growths and survival of transplanted <br />cuttings, several conditions were actually examined: irrigation (four levels of watering), <br />soil type (roto-cleared, dozer-cleared, ar undisturbed), plant type (transplanted rooted <br />sprouts, natural sprouts, potted plants) and fencing (fenced or not fenced). Since not <br />all treatment combinations existed and none of the treatments were replicated, <br />statistical analyses and inferences are limited. For example, differences in growth or <br />survival between Yoast, II-W roto-cleared soil sprouts, and II-W irrigated treatments <br />may be due to differences in soil disturbance, genetic stock of aspen, transplant type, <br />fencing, or microclimatic differences between sites, treatments not independently <br />