Identification of environmental stress biomarkers in seedlings of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Climate development models predict alterations that will critically influence plant metabolism in southern and central Europe. Although the molecular players involved in the response to climatic stress factors have been well described in crops, little information is available for forest tree species. Consequently, the identification of molecular biomarkers suitable for evaluating the actual impact of different environmental stress conditions on forest plants would be of great importance for monitoring purposes and forest management. In this study, we evaluated a biochemical methodology for the assessment of temperature stress in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings by analyzing a set of metabolites and enzymes involved in free radical scavenging and cell wall synthesis. The results indicate that the combined analysis of the specific activities and isoform profile of peroxidases, superoxide dismutases, and glutathione peroxidases coupled with the amount variation of phenolic compounds enabled the discrimination between stressed and control seedlings. This approach represents a promising platform for the assessment of temperature stress in forest trees and could also enhance selection and breeding practices, allowing for plants more tolerant and (or) resistant to abiotic stress.