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Drought susceptibility and recovery of transplanted Quercus rubra seedlings in relation to root system morphology

Sensibilité à la sécheresse et reprise des semis transplantés de Quercus rubra en relation avec la morphologie racinaire

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Abstract

  • • Transplant shock, implicated by depressed seedling physiological status associated with moisture stress immediately following planting, limits early plantation establishment. Large root volume (Rv) has potential to alleviate transplant shock because of higher root growth potential and greater access to soil water.

  • • We investigated impacts of drought and transplant Rv on photosynthetic assimilation (A), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (g s ), predawn leaf xylem water potential (ΨL), and growth of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings to explain mechanisms associated with susceptibility to transplant shock. One year-old barerooot seedlings were graded into four Rv categories and either well watered or subjected to drought consisting of low, medium, or high moisture stress by discontinuing irrigation at 22-day intervals for 3 months. Thereafter, all treatments were re-watered to examine recovery.

  • • Transplant shock was signified by reduced A, E, g s, and ΨL, which generally increased with increasing moisture stress and Rv. Physiological status improved during recovery, though stress was still evident in seedlings exposed to medium or high moisture stress and in larger Rv seedlings. Growth declined with increasing moisture stress but was generally similar among Rv treatments, likely reflecting greater A at the whole plant level and/or reliance upon stored reserves in large Rv seedlings.

  • • The most effective drought avoidance mechanisms were root growth, stomatal regulation, reduced leaf area, and higher growth allocation to roots relative to shoots. Our results suggest that large initial Rv does not enhance drought avoidance during the first season after transplant in northern red oak seedlings.

Résumé

  • • Le choc de transplantation, lié à l’état physiologique déprimé des plants associé à un stress hydrique, immédiatement après la plantation, limite le début de l’installation des plants. Un important volume racinaire (Rv) a le potentiel d’atténuer le choc de transplantation en raison du fort potentiel de croissance racinaire et d’un meilleur accès à l’eau du sol. Nous avons étudié les impacts de la sécheresse et des transplants Rv sur l’assimilation photosynthétique (A), la transpiration (E), la conductance stomatique (g s), le potentiel hydrique de base (ΨL), et la croissance des plants de chêne rouge (Quercus rubra L.) pour expliquer les mécanismes associés à la sensibilité à un choc de transplantation. Des plants de un an à racines nues ont été classés en quatre catégories Rv et soit bien arrosés, ou soumis à une sécheresse, consistant à un faible, moyen ou fort stress hydrique en cessant l’irrigation à 22 jours d’intervalle(27, 49 et 72 après la transplantation) pour 3 mois. Par la suite, tous les traitements ont été arrosés afin d’examiner la reprise.

  • • Le choc de transplantation qui généralement a augmenté avec l’augmentation du stress hydrique et Rv, a été significatif par la réduction de A, E, g s, and ΨL. L’état physiologique s’est amélioré lors de la reprise, même si le stress est encore évident chez les plants exposés à un stress hydrique moyen ou élevé et chez les plants à Rv les plus importants. La croissance a diminué avec l’augmentation du stress hydrique, mais elle a été généralement similaire chez les traitements Rv, reflétant probablement une plus grande A au niveau du plant entier et / ou le recours à des réserves stockées dans les plants à Rv important.

  • • Les mécanismes d’évitement de la sécheresse les plus efficaces ont été la croissance des racines, la régulation stomatique, une surface foliaire réduite et une allocation de la croissance plus élevée aux racines par rapport aux pousses. Nos résultats suggèrent que les grandes Rv initiales n’améliorent pas l’évitement de la sécheresse durant la première saison après transplantation chez les plants de chêne rouge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 47907-2061, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Douglass F. Jacobs, K. Francis Salifu & Anthony S. Davis

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  1. Douglass F. Jacobs
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  2. K. Francis Salifu
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  3. Anthony S. Davis
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Correspondence to Douglass F. Jacobs.

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Jacobs, D.F., Salifu, K.F. & Davis, A.S. Drought susceptibility and recovery of transplanted Quercus rubra seedlings in relation to root system morphology. Ann. For. Sci. 66, 504 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009029

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009029

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