Table 2 Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) mass (mean ± SE) in Amorpha fruticosa and Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings was harvested at days 1 (July 7), 3 (July 9), 14 (July 20), 30 (August 5), and 60 (September 4). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences among different defoliation treatments (p < 0.05) with Duncan’s test

Leaf

Day 1

0.32 ± 0.06^a

0.14 ± 0.03^a

0.28 ± 0.06^a

1.42 ± 0.08^b

0.63 ± 0.13^a

0.91 ± 0.20^ab

Day 3

0.53 ± 0.11^b

0.21 ± 0.09^a

0.33 ± 0.03^ab

1.17 ± 0.18^ab

0.78 ± 0.11^a

1.52 ± 0.16^b

Day 14

0.42 ± 0.04^b

0.18 ± 0.05^a

0.24 ± 0.04^a

1.65 ± 0.21^a

1.44 ± 0.10^a

1.64 ± 0.10^a

Day 30

1.57 ± 0.28^a

1.24 ± 0.33^a

1.96 ± 0.14^a

1.72 ± 0.13^a

1.69 ± 0.29^a

1.78 ± 0.12^a

Day 60

2.24 ± 0.35^a

2.32 ± 0.41^a

3.00 ± 0.31^a

1.63 ± 0.10^a

1.94 ± 0.52^a

1.96 ± 0.21^a

R_LN

1.00

1.14

1.42

1.00

6.24

5.00

Stem

Day 1

0.09 ± 0.03^a

0.08 ± 0.02^a

0.07 ± 0.11^a

0.47 ± 0.02^a

0.28 ± 0.04^a

0.47 ± 0.10^a

Day 3

0.08 ± 0.04^a

0.01 ± 0.00^a

0.04 ± 0.01^a

0.81 ± 0.06^b

0.37 ± 0.02^a

0.22 ± 0.05^a

Day 14

0.09 ± 0.01^c

0.03 ± 0.00^a

0.05 ± 0.009^b

0.76 ± 0.17^a

0.62 ± 0.14^a

0.67 ± 0.08^a

Day 30

0.23 ± 0.04^a

0.25 ± 0.05^a

0.40 ± 0.10^a

0.70 ± 0.10^a

0.80 ± 0.21^a

0.65 ± 0.16^a

Day 60

0.53 ± 0.12^a

0.51 ± 0.06^a

0.63 ± 0.11^a

0.74 ± 0.16^a

1.03 ± 0.30^a

1.10 ± 0.28^a

R_SN

1.00

0.98

1.27

1.00

2.78

2.33

Root

Day 1

0.20 ± 0.04^a

0.16 ± 0.08^a

0.14 ± 0.04^a

0.17 ± 0.02^a

0.21 ± 0.04^a

0.33 ± 0.08^a

Day 3

0.08 ± 0.02^a

0.03 ± 0.01^a

0.11 ± 0.04^a

0.80 ± 0.11^b

0.456 ± 0.142^ab

0.417 ± 0.061^a

Day 14

0.13 ± 0.02^b

0.05 ± 0.01^a

0.079 ± 0.00^a

0.65 ± 0.11^a

0.54 ± 0.12^a

0.34 ± 0.04^a

Day 30

0.72 ± 0.16^a

0.64 ± 0.20^a

0.66 ± 0.09^a

0.58 ± 0.14^a

0.77 ± 0.13^a

0.59 ± 0.05^a

Day 60

2.21 ± 0.43^a

1.47 ± 0.18^a

1.87 ± 0.52^a

1.55 ± 0.36^a

1.98 ± 0.69^a

3.01 ± 0.54^a

R_RN

1.00

0.65

0.86

1.00

1.28

1.94

Total

Day 1

0.61 ± 0.13^a

0.38 ± 0.12^a

0.50 ± 0.10^a

2.06 ± 0.10^b

1.12 ± 0.17^a

1.71 ± 0.11^b

Day 3

0.68 ± 0.15^b

0.25 ± 0.08^a

0.47 ± 0.06^ab

2.77 ± 0.32^b

1.61 ± 0.26^a

2.17 ± 0.26^ab

Day 14

0.65 ± 0.06^b

0.25 ± 0.06^a

0.38 ± 0.05^a

3.07 ± 0.45^a

2.60 ± 0.20^a

2.79 ± 0.24^a

Day 30

2.51 ± 0.19^a

2.12 ± 0.56^a

2.98 ± 0.22^a

3.00 ± 0.17^a

3.26 ± 0.53^a

3.17 ± 0.32^a

Day 60

4.98 ± 0.81^a

4.30 ± 0.42^a

5.50 ± 0.61^a

3.72 ± 0.39^a

4.95 ± 1.44^a

6.07 ± 0.94^a

Percentage mass

12%

9%

9%

55%

23%

28%