Effects of chronic N fertilization on foliar membranes, cold tolerance, and carbon storage in montane red spruce

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1351-1359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G Schaberg ◽  
Donald H DeHayes ◽  
Gary J Hawley ◽  
Paula F Murakami ◽  
G Richard Strimbeck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cold Tolerance ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Picea Rubens ◽  
Control Plot ◽  
Membrane Stability ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Freezing Injury ◽  
N Addition ◽  
Cell Membrane Stability ◽  
Induced Changes

We evaluated the influence of protracted low-level nitrogen (N) fertilization on foliar membrane-associated calcium (mCa), sugar and starch concentrations, membrane stability, winter cold tolerance, and freezing injury of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees growing in six experimental plots on Mount Ascutney, Vermont. For 12 consecutive years before this evaluation, each plot received one of three treatments: 0, 15.7, or 31.4 kg N·ha–1·year–1 supplied as NH4Cl. In comparison with trees from control plots, the current-year foliage of trees from N-addition plots had lower mCa concentrations, higher levels of electrolyte leakage, reduced cold tolerance, and greater freezing injury. Levels of mCa, membrane stability, and cold tolerance did not differ between N treatments, but trees in high-N treated plots experienced greater freezing injury. Although no differences in carbohydrate nutrition were detected in September, foliar sugar and starch concentrations from trees in N-treated plots were higher than control plot trees in January. We propose that foliar mCa deficiencies reduced cell membrane stability, decreased cold tolerance, and increased freezing injury for trees in N addition plots relative to controls. Declines in mCa may also help account for increases in respiration previously measured. Because soil, root, and mycorryhizal conditions were not evaluated, it is unknown how treatment-induced changes in these compartments may have influenced the alterations in foliar mCa and physiological parameters measured in this study.

scholarly journals Midwinter dehardening of montane red spruce during a natural thaw

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 2040-2044 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.R. Strimbeck ◽  
D.H. DeHayes ◽  
J.B. Shane ◽  
G.J. Hawley ◽  
P.G. Schaberg
Keyword(s):  
Cold Tolerance ◽  
Photosynthetic Capacity ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Freezing Injury ◽  
Field Site ◽  
Risk Of Injury ◽  
Warm Weather ◽  
Cold Tolerant ◽  
Net Assimilation

We documented 3 to 14 °C of dehardening in current-year foliage of 10 mature, montane red spruce (Picearubens Sarg.) trees during a natural thaw from 12 to 21 January 1995. Mean cold tolerance was about −47 °C before the onset of thaw conditions, and individuals ranged from −38 to −52 °C. After 3 days of thaw, mean cold tolerance dropped to −39 °C, with a range of −32 to −44 °C. Trees did not regain prethaw levels of cold tolerance until sometime between 31 January and 9 February, or 10 to 20 days after subfreezing temperatures resumed. The least cold tolerant tree was at risk of injury when temperature at the field site fell to an estimated −33.8 °C on 6 February, and this same tree developed noticeably more injury than other trees when injury symptoms developed in late March. No evidence of dehardening was found in balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill.) trees from the same stand. All red spruce trees also showed the potential for net assimilation of carbon during the thaw, as determined by measurement of photosynthetic capacity under laboratory conditions. From the abrupt and substantial dehardening and persistence of the dehardened state, we conclude that dehardening during periods of warm weather may be a significant factor in freezing injury and decline of montane red spruce populations.

Red spruce bud mortality at Whiteface Mountain, New York

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 827-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian L. Hadley ◽  
Robert G. Amundson ◽  
J. A. Laurence ◽  
R. J. Kohut
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Picea Rubens ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Freezing Injury ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Foliar Nitrogen ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Terminal Bud ◽  
Whiteface Mountain ◽  
Terminal Buds

Terminal bud mortality for shoots produced between 1982 and 1989 was measured for midcanopy branches of mature red spruce trees (Picea rubens Sargent) at two elevations on Whiteface Mountain, New York, U.S.A. Average terminal bud mortality ranged from 15 to 45% in different years, and there was no evidence for a biotic cause of bud mortality. Between branches on different trees, there was a negative correlation between frequency of terminal bud mortality for shoots produced between 1987 and 1989 and the percent change in current-year foliage biomass between 1987 and 1990. Branches with a high frequency of terminal bud mortality also tended to have a high proportion (> 50%) of 1990 shoots developed on adventitious branchlets. In late November 1990, terminal buds from most trees at 710–1120 m elevation were susceptible to freezing injury between −31 and −38 °C when cooled at 4 °C/h under laboratory conditions. Typical winter minimum temperatures at 700–1100 m elevation on Whiteface Mountain are within this range. In a recent controlled study of red spruce seedlings, high foliar nitrogen was associated with an increased risk of freezing injury to terminal buds in autumn. We found that red spruce on Whiteface Mountain had higher foliar nitrogen levels compared with red spruce at a much lower elevation in Maine. Based on these results, we advocate further research on the relationship between foliar nitrogen and bud freezing sensitivity in high elevation red spruce. Key words: Picea rubens, red spruce, bud mortality, freezing injury, nitrogen, red spruce decline.

Influence of thawing rate and fungal infection by Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii on freezing injury in red spruce (Picea rubens) needles

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 918-927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel K. Manter ◽  
William H. Livingston
Keyword(s):  
Picea Rubens ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Freezing Injury ◽  
Bud Break ◽  
Freezing Damage ◽  
Northeastern North America ◽  
Plastic Bags ◽  
Thawing Rate ◽  
Spruce Needles ◽  
Needle Loss

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) decline has been observed in northeastern North America for the last 30 years. A major inciting stress involved in this decline is freezing injury of foliage. The objectives of this study were the following: (i) to examine how photosynthesis, needle electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll loss, needle reddening, needle loss and bud break respond to single freezing events down to −45 °C on 3-year-old seedlings; (ii) to test if faster thawing rates increase the amount of freezing injury; and (iii) to measure how Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii Bubák inoculations interact with freeze-injured needles. Two trials, one of 60 seedlings and one of 80 seedlings, were conducted. The second trial had half the seedlings covered with plastic bags for doubling the thawing time. Photosynthesis, as measured by gas exchange, was consistently the most sensitive measure, detecting nonvisible injury on uncovered seedlings (p < 0.05) at −25 °C. Measurements detecting freezing damage on covered, slower thawing seedlings were photosynthesis, chlorophyll loss, and percent budbreak. Faster thawing rates increased the amount of injury ca. 2- to 3-fold after freezing to −35 or −45 °C for all measures. Infection by R. kalkhoffii increased 40–83% after freezing needles to −40 or −45 °C. Fungal inoculations caused ca. 40–60% reduction in photosynthesis on needles frozen to −40 or −45 °C. This study suggests that two new factors can increase freezing injury on red spruce needles: a faster thawing rate and fungal (R. kalkhoffii) infection. These results are consistent with the growing knowledge that freezing injury is a complex phenomenon in red spruce.

scholarly journals Cold tolerance of forage plant species

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1469
Author(s):  
João Manetti Filho ◽  
Carolina Maria Gaspar de Oliveira ◽  
Paulo Henrique Caramori ◽  
Getulio Takashi Nagashima ◽  
Fernando Braz Tangerino Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Cell Membrane ◽  
Cold Tolerance ◽  
Membrane Stability ◽  
Bermuda Grass ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Sudden Increase ◽  
Cell Membrane Stability ◽  
Forage Species

The occurrence of frost in southern and southeastern Brazil affects pasture quality and limits the use of forage species with high yield potential. Therefore, elucidating the cold tolerance of individual forage species could facilitate the selection of species that will optimize production and animal feeding throughout the year. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the cold tolerance of forage species to low temperatures, based on cell membrane stability and photoinhibition. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), black oat (Avena strigosa), marandu grass (Urochloa brizantha), pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum), mombaça grass (Megathyrsus maximus), and bermuda grass ‘Tifton 85’ (Cynodon spp) plants were subjected to temperatures of 0.2, -0.9, -1.8, -2.7, -4.1, -4.6, and -6.2 °C for 1 h in a growth chamber. Cell membrane stability and photoinhibition were based on the electrical conductivity of leaf section solutions and chlorophyll fluorescence, respectively. Initial cold damage corresponded to a sudden increase in leaf solution conductivity and decrease in fluorescence. Millet and sorghum were able to tolerate exposure to temperatures as low as -2.7 °C, whereas black oat, marandu grass, alfafa, and mombaça grass were able to tolerate exposure to -4.1 °C, and bermuda grass ‘Tifton 85’ was able to withstand temperatures below -6.2 °C.

Phenotypic Variation in Climate-Associated Traits of Red Spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) along Elevation Gradients in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Castanea ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
John R. Butnor ◽  
Brittany M. Verrico ◽  
Kurt H. Johnsen ◽  
Christopher A. Maier ◽  
Victor Vankus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Appalachian Mountains ◽  
Picea Rubens ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
Southern Appalachian Mountains ◽  
Southern Appalachian

scholarly journals Effect of Seed Inoculation on Alfalfa Tolerance to Water Deficit Stress

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-88
Author(s):  
Mahnaz ZAFARI ◽  
Ali EBADI ◽  
Sodabeh JAHANBAKHSH GODEHKAHRIZ
Keyword(s):  
Water Deficit ◽  
Osmotic Potential ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Compatible Solutes ◽  
Membrane Stability ◽  
Forage Yield ◽  
Water Deficit Stress ◽  
Cell Membrane Stability ◽  
Seed Inoculation

Water deficit is one of the most important environmental stresses that adversely affect crop growth and production and mycorrhizal fungi and symbiotic bacteria have important role in resistance to drought stress. The effect of biofertilizers on alfalfa stress tolerance was studied at the greenhouse condition. Treatments comprised three water-deficit stresses (35%, 55% and 75% of field capacity) and four seeds inoculations (Glomus mosseae, Sinorhizobium meliloti, G. mosseae + S. meliloti and non-inoculated). Water-deficit stress decrease cell membrane stability (39%), total Chl (24.05%), carotenoid (35.55%), quantum yield (50.64%) and forage yield (28.20%), while increased the proline and soluble sugars content (68.55 and 46.53% respectively) and osmotic potential (45.84%). The inoculation of seeds increased the capability of the plants in counteracting the stress, so that the production of compatible solutes was increased and the photosynthetic indices, proline, osmotic potential, membrane stability and forage yield were improved by seed inoculation. Mycorrhiza improved photosynthetic indexes and proline, but bacteria had more efficacy on membrane stability and forage yield. However, double inoculation due to the synergistic effect of mycorrhiza and Sinorhizobium, had the greatest effect than Solitary inoculation. Our results suggest that biofertilized alfalfa plants were better adapted than non- biofertilized ones to cope with water deficit.

Nutrient status and winter hardiness of red spruce foliage

1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 754-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard M. Klein ◽  
Timothy D. Perkins ◽  
Helen L. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Sufficient Conditions ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Cloud Water ◽  
Winter Hardiness ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Freezing Injury ◽  
Ion Leakage ◽  
Anthropogenic Nitrogen

Increased ecosystem loading with inorganic nitrogen compounds derived from anthropogenic sources has been proposed to prolong vegetative growth of spruce, rendering them more susceptible to winter injury. Severely nutrient-deficient 4-year-old red spruce (Picearubens Sarg.) seedlings and adequately fertilized seedlings were provided with synthetic cloud water lacking or containing nitrate, ammonium, or both, for a full growing season, and then exposed to normal winter chilling. Needles from these seedlings were stressed at −25 or −30 °C, and freezing injury was measured as ion leakage. Cloud water condensates had no effect on hardiness of needles of either nutrient status. Initially nutrient-sufficient seedlings transferred to nutrient-deficient conditions also exhibited no change in hardiness. Severely nutrient-deficient seedlings had needles that were significantly more sensitive to winter injury than seedlings under nutrient-sufficient conditions. Improving the nutrient status of initially nitrogen-deficient seedlings reduced their sensitivity to freezing injury. Based upon experimental results and consideration of the amounts of inorganic nitrogen reaching upper-elevation conifer forests, there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that anthropogenic nitrogen supplies significantly reduce winter hardiness of spruce foliage. It is improbable that winter injury due to elevated anthropogenic nitrogen is a causal factor in contemporary forest decline.

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