J. For. Sci., 2011, 57(12):547-554 | DOI: 10.17221/30/2011-JFS

Drought and aluminium as stress factors in Norway spruce (Picea abies) seedlings

K. Slugeňová1, Ľ. Ditmarová1, D. Kurjak2, J. Váľka1
1 Department of Ecotoxicology, Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
2 Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic

Effects of drought, Al and their possible interaction on physiological characteristics were studied in four-years-old Norway spruce seedlings in a pot experiment. Drought stress was imposed by withholding irrigation. Al was applied to the soil as an AlCl3 solution at a concentration of 1,500 μmol.l-1. Water deficit caused a decrease in needle water potential, net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and an increase in proline accumulation. On the other hand, water potential, Pn and proline concentration in seedlings subjected to Al remained unchanged. During the experiment, no significant variation was registered in the chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters. Chlorophyll content was significantly reduced in the Al presence. Drought led to a lower Al accumulation in needles in comparison with well-watered seedlings. Progressive dehydration influenced the physiological state of spruce seedlings. The presence of Al in soil did not cause any negative changes in the physiological parameters under an optimal water regime. By contrast, the synergic effect of drought and Al induced the most marked changes in measured characteristics, which may indicate a possible enhanced impact of drought and Al interaction in comparison with the single effect of these stress factors.

Keywords: drought; aluminium; proline; water potential; photosynthesis; chlorophyll fluorescence

Published: December 31, 2011  Show citation

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Slugeňová K, Ditmarová Ľ, Kurjak D, Váľka J. Drought and aluminium as stress factors in Norway spruce (Picea abies) seedlings. J. For. Sci.. 2011;57(12):547-554. doi: 10.17221/30/2011-JFS.
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