Abstract
The aim of the study was to identify and compare the content of chlorophyll and carotene pigments in mountain melick plants (Melica nutans L.) growing in two forest habitats in the Zielonka Forest Landscape Park in the Greater Poland region, which differed in soil properties and moisture. Leaf blades from the middle level of Melica nutans generative shoots were used as analytical material to measure the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, β-carotene and total carotenoids. The average (±SD) content of chlorophyll a in the Melica nutans plants growing in the less fertile site (Location I) amounted to 6.67 ± 0.99 mg·g−1 DM. The average content of chlorophyll b in the same plants was 2.44 ± 0.39 mg·g−1 DM. The Melica nutans plants growing in the more fertile site (Location II) had a higher content of chlorophyll a, i.e., 7.76 ± 0.96 mg·g−1 DM, and lower content of chlorophyll b, i.e., 2.36 ± 0.26 mg·g−1 DM. The plants collected from both sites had similar content of β-carotene, i.e., 0.61 ± 0.11 mg·g−1 DM Location I and 0.62 ± 0.07 mg·g−1 DM Location II. The plants growing in the less fertile site (Location I) had significantly higher total carotene content than the plants in the more fertile site (Location II). The content of pigments in the Melica nutans plants was significantly differentiated by the meteorological conditions in the subsequent years of the research. In the first year of the research, the average content of all chlorophyll pigments in the plants was significantly higher than in the second drier year, regardless of the site.
Highlights
Forest grasses are a group of plants whose biological, chemical and morphological properties have still not been fully investigated and described
The analyses revealed that both the forest habitats and individual plants within the same habitat differed significantly in the content of chlorophyll pigments
The unfavourable precipitation distribution during the growing season, and in particular, the stressful drought conditions, as it was observed from May to July in the second year of the study, caused a decrease in the concentration of chlorophyll and carotene pigments in the mountain melick plants
Summary
Forest grasses are a group of plants whose biological, chemical and morphological properties have still not been fully investigated and described. Is an interesting grass species growing in forest habitats, usually in lowlands and mountains [5,6]. It can be found in shady deciduous forests classified as Querco-Fagetea Br.-Bl. Vlieger (1937). Due to the commonness of this species in forests, it can be treated as forage grass for forest animals. The plant is grown in home gardens as ornamental grass because it produces an interesting inflorescence [8]. Assimilation pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenes are some of the most important chemical compounds in Forests 2020, 11, 1197; doi:10.3390/f11111197 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests
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