Rootstock and scion effects on carbohydrates and mineral nutrients in loblolly pine

Abstract

Variation in scion physiology caused by rootstock families, scion clones, and the rootstock–scion interactions were studied in loblolly pine (Pinustaeda L.). Ten full-sib families were used as rootstocks, and six scion clones were grafted on the rootstocks in all combinations. The trees were measured during and after the 2nd year after grafting; the traits measured were needle carbohydrate (starch, sucrose, and hexoses) concentrations and needle N, P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations. These traits were measured in early fall and early spring. There were highly significant differences among scion clones for all traits. Rootstocks significantly affected hexoses in fall, total sugars in spring, P, K, Ca, and Mg in fall, and Ca and Mg in spring. For most traits the largest variance component was within each rootstock-scion combination; next largest were those for scion clones. Variance components for rootstocks were small or negative for most traits, indicating that the scion has more control than the rootstock on scion physiology of young grafted loblolly pine.