Induction of Reaction Wood in Terminalia (Combretaceae): Roles of Gravity and Stress

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Abstract
Reaction wood (RW) as determined by the presence of gelatinous fibres (tension wood) was induced by experimental manipulations of leaders and lateral branch axes of Terminalia catappa (Combretaceae). Axes were repositioned with respect to gravity with or without applied bending. Other axes were bent without gravitational reorientation. All gravitational reorientations caused development of RW on the side toward the normal position for the axis, even when tensile stress was assumed to be on the opposite side. In axes bent without repositioning with respect to gravity, RW formed on the side with tensile stress. Bark girdling induced RW proximal to the girdle and in distally directed tongues of partially isolated regions of intact bark. It is concluded that both reorientational changes and imposed stress can cause RW, but that the former stimulus may dominate over the latter when the two stimuli conflict. Auxin levels are presumably affected by these two stimuli and by bark removal.

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