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Drought-dependent responses of photosynthesis, transpiration and water use efficiency of Japanese cypress and Japanese red pine seedlings

  • Original Articles
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Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the potential for modifying drought tolerance of Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) and Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.). Three-year-old seedlings were controlled for five-months at three different soil water potentials ({ie73-1}). Japanese cypress exposed to high {ie73-2} was able to maintain higher photosynthesis (Phn), transpiration (Tr) and stomatal conductance to H2O (gH2O) in comparison to low {ie73-3} pretreatments, however, there was no significant difference in Phn for Japanese red pine. Soil water potential at the threshold from the maximum to limited Phn was higher in high {ie73-4} pretreatments than in low {ie73-5} pretreatments. Net photosynthesis, Tr and gH2O decreased more rapidly in high {ie73-6} pretreatments than in low {ie73-7} pretreatments. Transpiration decreased more significantly than Phn, thus, resulted in increased water use efficiency. All these factors are likely to result in significant improvements in the drought tolerance. Japanese red pine seems more drought-tolerant than Japanese cypress. Japanese cypress is suitable to soil of −0.05 MPa water potential, and Japanese red pine is suitable to −0.16 MPa and even dryer soils.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Shizuoka, 422, Shizuoka, Japan

    Qingmin Han & Yoshitaka Kakubari

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  1. Qingmin Han
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  2. Yoshitaka Kakubari
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Han, Q., Kakubari, Y. Drought-dependent responses of photosynthesis, transpiration and water use efficiency of Japanese cypress and Japanese red pine seedlings. J. For. Res. 1, 73–78 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02348307

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02348307

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