Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Field assessment of photosynthetic characteristics in micropropagated and grafted wych elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.) trees

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) volume 101, pages 221–228 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

A field test of wych elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.) trees micropropagated in tissue culture was established to compare their photosynthetic characteristics with those from control grafted scions. Measurements were made at the sixth growing season after planting. The results showed similarities between the two stock types in terms of height, diameter at breast height, and leaf morphology. Grafted trees, which were markedly less rejuvenated than micropropagated trees, performed better in many of the light absorption and leaf gas exchange attributes including maximum CO2 assimilation rate at saturating photosynthetic photon flux density (P max), apparent quantum yield of photosynthesis (α), transpiration rate (E), and stomatal conductance (g s). In the grafts, the direct effect of photosynthesis could be clearly identified by a significantly lower specific leaf area and a higher content of leaf dry mass. Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters showed non-stressed growth patterns in both stock types. Rates of the maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (F v/F m), potential electron capacity (‘area’), and variable-to-initial fluorescence ratio (F v/F 0) were higher in micropropagated elms. Findings from this study indicate that micropropagated elm stock is ready for testing on a larger scale.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  • Becwar MR, Pullman GS (1995) Somatic embryogenesis in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). In: Jain SM, Gupta PK (eds) Somatic embryogenesis in woody plants, vol 3. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 287–301

    Google Scholar 

  • Ben Jouira H, Hassairi A, Bigot C, Dorion N (1998) Adventitious shoot production from strips of stem in the Dutch elm hybrid ‘Commelin’: plantlet regeneration and neomycin sensitivity. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 53:153–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benowicz A, Grossnickle SC, El-Kassaby YA (2002) Field assessment of Douglas-fir somatic and zygotic seedlings with respect to gas exchange, water relations, and frost hardiness. Can J Forest Res 32:1822–1828

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biroščíková M, Spišáková K, Lipták Š, Pichler V, Ďurkovič J (2004) Micropropagation of mature wych elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.). Plant Cell Rep 22:640–644

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bolhàr-Nordenkampf HR, Long SP, Baker NR, Öquist G, Schreiber U, Lechner EG (1989) Chlorophyll fluorescence as a probe of the photosynthetic competence of leaves in the field: a review of current instrumentation. Funct Ecol 3:497–514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brasier C (1991) Ophiostoma novo-ulmi sp. nov., causative agent of current Dutch elm disease pandemics. Mycopathologia 115:151–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cicák A (1998) Knowledge of leaf area distribution in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) spring shoots and possibility of its application in production ecology. Lesnictví–Forestry 44:250–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Conde P, Loureiro J, Santos C (2004) Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from leaves of Ulmus minor Mill. Plant Cell Rep 22:632–639

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conde P, Sousa A, Costa A, Santos C (2008) A protocol for Ulmus minor Mill micropropagation and acclimatization. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 92:113–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corchete MP, Diez JJ, Valle T (1993) Micropropagation of Ulmus pumila L. from mature trees. Plant Cell Rep 12:534–536

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corredoira E, Vieitez AM, Ballester A (2002) Somatic embryogenesis in elm. Ann Bot 89:637–644

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corredoira E, Vieitez AM, Ballester A (2003) Proliferation and maintenance of embryogenic capacity in elm embryogenic cultures. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 39:394–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenning TM, Gartland KMA, Brasier CM (1993) Micropropagation and regeneration of English elm, Ulmus procera Salisbury. J Exp Bot 44:1211–1217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gautheret RJ (1940) Nouvelles recherches sur le bouregeonnement du tissue cambial d’Ulmus campestris cultivé in vitro. CR Acad Sci 210:744–746

    Google Scholar 

  • George MW, Tripepi RR (1994) Cytokinins, donor plants and time in culture affect shoot regenerative capacity of American elm leaves. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 39:27–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grossnickle SC, Major JE (1994a) Interior spruce seedlings compared with emblings produced from somatic embryogenesis. II. Stock quality assessment prior to field planting. Can J Forest Res 24:1385–1396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grossnickle SC, Major JE (1994b) Interior spruce seedlings compared with emblings produced from somatic embryogenesis. III. Physiological response and morphological development on a reforestation site. Can J Forest Res 24:1397–1407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammatt N (1999) Delayed flowering and reduced branching in micropropagated mature wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) compared with rooted cuttings and seedlings. Plant Cell Rep 18:478–484

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harvengt L, Meier-Dinkel A, Dumas E, Collin E (2004) Establishment of a cryopreserved gene bank of European elms. Can J Forest Res 34:43–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kapaun JA, Cheng Z-M (1997) Plant regeneration from leaf tissues of Siberian elm. HortScience 32:301–303

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krajňáková J, Longauer R (1996) Culture initiation, multiplication and identification of in vitro regenerants of resistant hybrid elms. Lesnictví–Forestry 42:261–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd GB, McCown BH (1980) Commercially feasible micropropagation of mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia, by use of shoot-tip culture. Proc Int Plant Prop Soc 30:421–427

    Google Scholar 

  • Malá J (2000) Micropropagation of mature elm trees in vitro. J Forest Sci 46:260–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Malá J, Cvikrová M, Chalupa V (2007) Micropropagation of mature trees of Ulmus glabra, Ulmus minor and Ulmus laevis. In: Jain SM, Häggman H (eds) Protocols for micropropagation of woody trees and fruits. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 237–246

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell K, Johnson GN (2000) Chlorophyll fluorescence–a practical guide. J Exp Bot 51:659–668

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maynard CA (1994) Six-year field test results of micropropagated black cherry (Prunus serotina). In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 30:64–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meziane D, Shipley B (2001) Direct and indirect relationships between specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen and leaf gas exchange. Effects of irradiance and nutrient supply. Ann Bot 88:915–927

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammed GH, Binder WD, Gillies SL (1995) Chlorophyll fluorescence: a review of its practical forestry applications and instrumentation. Scand J Forest Res 10:383–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newhouse AE, Schrodt F, Liang H, Maynard CA, Powell WA (2007) Transgenic American elm shows reduced Dutch elm disease symptoms and normal mycorrhizal colonization. Plant Cell Rep 26:977–987

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nsangou M, Greenwood M (1998) Physiological and morphological differences between somatic, in vitro germinated and normal seedlings of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.). Can J Forest Res 28:1088–1092

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panda D, Dash PK, Dhal NK, Rout NC (2006) Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and chlorophyll content in mangrove species grown in different salinity. Gen Appl Plant Physiol 32:175–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Percival GC, Sheriffs CN (2002) Identification of drought-tolerant woody perennials using chlorophyll fluorescence. J Arboric 28:215–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Prioul JL, Chartier P (1977) Partitioning of transfer and carboxylation components of intracellular resistance to photosynthetic CO2 fixation: a critical analysis of the methods used. Ann Bot 41:789–800

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahman MS, Messina MG, Newton RJ (2003) Performance of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings and micropropagated plantlets on an east Texas site II. Water relations. Forest Ecol Manag 178:257–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneck V, Ewald D (2001) Growth and performance of micropropagated hybrid larch clones. Silvae Genet 50:240–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Smalley EB, Guries RP (1993) Breeding elms for resistance to Dutch elm disease. Annu Rev Phytopathol 31:325–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur RC, Karnosky DF (2007) Micropropagation and germplasm conservation of Central Park Splendor Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia Jacq. ‘A/Ross Central Park’) trees. Plant Cell Rep 26:1171–1177

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viherä-Aarnio A, Ryynänen L (1995) Growth, crown structure and seed production of birch seedlings, grafts and micropropagated plants. Silva Fenn 29:3–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman RH, Miller SS (1991) Orchard growth and fruiting of micropropagated apple trees. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 116:780–785

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. D. Gömöry for the statistical expertise, Dr. A. Cicák and Mr. P. Imre for their excellent technical assistance, and Mrs. Elizabeth Ritch-Krč for the language revision. This work was financed by the Slovak Grant Agencies VEGA (1/0831/09), APVV (0082–06), and the European Regional Development Fund (Adaptive Forest Ecosystems project).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Phytology, Technical University, Masarykova 24, 960 53, Zvolen, Slovakia

    Jaroslav Ďurkovič & Ingrid Čaňová

  2. Forest Research Institute, National Forest Centre, 960 92, Zvolen, Slovakia

    Tibor Priwitzer

  3. Lesy S.R., Forest Nursery Centre Šariš, 082 22, Šarišské Michaľany, Slovakia

    Mária Biroščíková & Pavol Kapraľ

  4. Department of Silviculture, Technical University, Masarykova 24, 960 53, Zvolen, Slovakia

    Milan Saniga

Authors
  1. Jaroslav Ďurkovič
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ingrid Čaňová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tibor Priwitzer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mária Biroščíková
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pavol Kapraľ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Milan Saniga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jaroslav Ďurkovič.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ďurkovič, J., Čaňová, I., Priwitzer, T. et al. Field assessment of photosynthetic characteristics in micropropagated and grafted wych elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.) trees. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 101, 221–228 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-010-9680-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-010-9680-1

Keywords

search

Navigation