Sеed productivity and quality of Picea abies and P. pungens in the Kriviy Rih plantations

Abstract

Reproductive capability is considered as one of indicators of successful introduction; it helps to evaluate adaptation potential of plants, especially in techogenic conditions. The aim of our work is to research morphometric parameters of cones, profitability and seed quality of Рісеа аbies та P. pungens in the plantations with various levels of aerotechnogenic influence in conditions of an industrial city in the steppe zone of Ukraine. The objects of the studying were the cones of 30–40-year-old trees of P. аbies та P. pungens from eight different plantations situated along the whole city of Kryvyi Rih (126 km) and having various levels of technogenic pollution. We revealed that the maximal length of cone in two investigated species (108,4 and 88,7 mm respectively), width (28,6 and 24,7 mm); the highest seedling vigour (41,0 and 7,2 %), laboratory germination (54,2 and 20,6 %), seed mass (6,9 and 4,2 g), and length of germ (18,5 and 13,8 mm) are noted in the trees from Botanical Garden. The minimal values of all the same indices were ascertained for the trees growing near the metallurgical combine “ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih”: length of cones – 92,3 and 73,9 mm; width of cones – 26,2 and 22,4 mm; as well as the lowest seedling vigour (2,4 and 1,4 %); laboratory germination (5,0 and 2,0 %), seed mass (5,4 and 3,4 g), and length of germ (12,6 and 5,4 mm). The general seed quantity for a cone of P. аbies та P. pungens, in all the plantation types, varied from 203,9 to 217,2 seeds and from 198,6 to 204,3 ones respectively. The least part of fertile seeds (11,5–13,3 %), and the biggest part of sterile (56,5–58,7 %) and underdeveloped (29,8–30,1 %) ones were noted in the plants of P. pungens directly exposed to emissions of industrial enterprises; for the plants of P. abies the same indices were 20,2–22,5 %; 51,5–52,6 % та 26,0–27,2 % respectively. Therefore, increasing level of techogenic pollution by air pollutants, which is observed during some last years, oppresses the generative sphere of species of genus Рісеа in conditions of the steppe zone of Ukraine.