Early Influence of Wood Ash Application on the Carbohydrate Reserves and Composition in Needles of Scots pine {Pinus sylvestris)

Abstract

Wood ash treatment can probably increase forest productivity on low fertility sites. However, the resulting effect on the carbohydrate concentration as the main carbon and energy reserve in trees is little studied. In 2000, a square of 0.1 ha sandy soil below a 19-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) plantation was treated with raw fly ash (0.5 kg.m-2); untreated square was used as control. One year after the treatment, carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltodextrins, starch and excess bound fructose) were analyzed enzymatically from current-year and one-year-old needles. The ratio K/N in needles suggested an improved balance between these elements in treated trees, in which the K concentration was higher. The largest relative differences (50% of control) were observed in glucose and fructose in summer. The squares did not differ in the concentration of the accumulated carbohydrate reserves in needles during low temperature stress in winter and before the growth of new shoots in spring. During the vegetation period decreased levels of soluble carbohydrates and starch were observed (max 70% of the control value around 100 mg total carbohydrates g-1 dry mass). Because the experiment was designed without true replicates, reasons for the observed differences require further study.