Effects of Low Temperature and Light on Foliar Injury to Pinus sylvestris L.

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Abstract
The relationship of foliar injury in Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) to low temperature and irradiance levels was studied in growth chambers at –l°C(warm) and –7°(cold) under 3 light treatments: 1) nonshaded (1000 watt, Metalarc), 2) 47% shade cloth, and 3) 4-mil white polyethylene. During the 9-week treatment period, plants were tested for hardiness, electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll content, and relative water content. Foliar injury was observed in plants under the cold treatment but the degree of injury was not related to irradiance level. After 6 weeks, electrolyte leakage levels were greater than 50% for all cold-treated plants. No foliar injury occurred on warm-treated plants regardless of light treatment. Minimizing desiccation and rapid temperature fluctuations did not prevent injury. Needle water content of plants from both temperature regimes decreased about 6% over the duration of the experiment. Maximum foliar temperature fluctuations were 5.5° (l.l°/minute) and 4° (0.8°/minute) in the cold and warm chambers, respectively. Although warm-treated plants showed no injury during the treatment period, they deteriorated after several weeks in the greenhouse. Severe root injury to the warm-treated plants may have caused this deterioration.

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