Blaga, TatianaLungu Constantineanu, Camil-ȘtefanBlaga, Mădălina-Elena2026-10-292026-10-2920251454-7376https://repository.iuls.ro/handle/20.500.12811/7182The research aimed at understanding the influence of defoliation caused by the Stereonychus fraxini L. beetles on the growth and vitality of forest stands with ash trees in their composition or ash forest stands. Complete, unrepeatable defoliation has important consequences on tree vitality, especially in the case of early defoliation, causing a 50-70% reduction in the vegetative mass compared to the witness trees unaffected by defoliation; the effect of defoliation manifests differently, depending on the age of the stands, being more pronounced in young stands than in older ones; repeated defoliation within the same year causes partial or total drying of the trees towards the end of the vegetation season. Prevention of defoliation is possible through pest control methods. Pest control treatments manage to prevent defoliation and to put an end to mass multiplication of insects.Englishash plantationsdefoliation insectsradial growthArticle2069-8275