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Natural and commercial Salix clones differ in their ecophysiological response to Zn stress

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of different zinc concentrations on the ecophysiological response of Salix clones: four commercial clones (“1962”, “1968”, “Drago”, and “Levante”) selected for short rotation coppice, and one natural clone, “Sacco”, obtained from a contaminated area. Gas exchanges, chlorophyll a fluorescence (JIP-test), relative chlorophyll content, and biometric parameters were measured in plants grown for fifteen days in soil containing Zn concentrations of 0, 300, 750, and 1,500 mg(ZnCl2) kg−1. Ecophysiological response to metal stress differed in dependence on the Zn concentration and clone. At the low Zn concentration (300 mg kg−1), the absence of any significant reductions in parameters investigated indicated an efficient plant homeostasis to maintain the metal content within phytotoxic limits. Stomatal limitation, observed at 750 and 1,500 mg kg−1, which was found in all clones after three days of the treatment, might be caused by indirect effects of metal on guard cells. Among commercial clones, “Drago” was more sensitive to Zn stress, showing inhibition of growth, while “1962” clone showed a downregulation of PSII photochemistry following the slowdown in the Calvin-Benson cycle. On the contrary, the natural Salix clone (“Sacco”) performed better compared to the other clones due to activation of a photosynthetic compensatory mechanism.

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Abbreviations

C i :

substomatal CO2 concentration

DAT:

days after treatment

DM:

dry mass

F0 :

minimal fluorescence yield of the dark-adapted state

Fm :

maximal fluorescence yield of the dark-adapted state

FM:

fresh mass

g s :

stomatal conductance

LA:

leaf area

PIabs :

performance index (potential) for energy conservation from photons absorbed by PSII to the reduction of intersystem electron acceptors

PItotal :

performance index (potential) for energy conservation from photons absorbed by PSII to the reduction of PSI end acceptors

P N :

net assimilation rate

RC/CS0 :

number proportional to the active RCs to the cross-section of the measured sample

RH:

relative air humidity

RuBP:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate

SLA:

specific leaf area

SRC:

short rotation coppice

ΔVI-P :

amplitude of the I-P phase of the OJIP fluorescence transient

φP0 :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

Ψ0 :

probability that a photon trapped by the PSII RC enters the electron transport chain

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P. le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy

    A. Bernardini, E. Salvatori, S. Di Re, L. Fusaro & F. Manes

  2. Agricultural Research Council — Intensive Wood Production Research Unit (CRA-PLF), Strada Frassineto 35, 15033, Casale Monferrato (AL), Italy

    G. Nervo

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  1. A. Bernardini
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  2. E. Salvatori
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  3. S. Di Re
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  4. L. Fusaro
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  5. G. Nervo
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  6. F. Manes
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Correspondence to A. Bernardini.

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Acknowledgements: This research was supported by project Joint Lab Environment (2008), “Integrated project for monitoring, requalification and environmental restoration of the Sacco River Valley, Site of National Interest” (Lazio Region, Italy), and by Sapienza Ateneo Research Project “Study of the phytoremediation processes in simulated laboratory experiments through ecophysiological analysis in the context of the recovery of contaminated sites from heavy metals” (2013, prot. C26N13B3ER). We thank to the Istituto Sperimentale for the Pioppicoltura (Casale Monferrato, Italy) for providing woody cuttings of Salix alba (1962 and 1968 clones) and Salix matsudana ×? (Drago and Levante clones).

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Bernardini, A., Salvatori, E., Di Re, S. et al. Natural and commercial Salix clones differ in their ecophysiological response to Zn stress. Photosynthetica 54, 56–64 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-015-0155-9

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