Frost resistance and pH of cell effusate in needles of artificially deacclimated Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris)

• Published in: Physiologia Plantarum
• Main Authors: Taulavuori, Kari, Taulavuori, Erja, Niinimaa, Ahti, Laine, Kari
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1996
• Subjects: Northern Finland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1996.tb00190.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1399-3054.1996.tb00190.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1996.tb00190.x

Provenances of seedlings of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) from northern Finland (65°N) and cuttings from trees of the same species about 30 to 40 years in age were studied in 3 artificial deacclimation experiments during the winter and spring of 1994. The deacclimation conditions varied in terms of temperature rise and photoperiods. Frost resistance and the pH of the cell effusate were studied in order to investigate the possibility of a connection between them. Complete deacclimation was achieved, as shown by a frost resistance of –60°C to –65°C in the seedlings and –8O°C in the cuttings at the beginning of the experiment and decreased to above –10°C by the end. The frost resistance and pH of the cell effusate responded significantly to the increase in temperature that marked the onset of the deacclimation process, whereas the response to different photoperiods was only slight. A highly significant correlation was found between frost resistance and the pH of the cell effusate. These variables were also significantly correlated with the freezing test temperature, indicating the condition of plasmalemma and tonoplast; and with sampling day, indicating the response to deacclimation. In the light of these findings, it is concluded that the pH of the cell effusate with certain reservations, can be used as a time saving, alternative viability test when determining frost resistance.