Shoot phenology and water relations of Piceaglauca

Abstract

Piceaglauca var. albertiana (S. Brown) Sarg. shoot phenology and water relation parameters were monitored monthly for 1 year. Seedlings were kept outdoors, well watered, and exposed to seasonal changes in temperature and day length. Changes in shoot water relation parameters corresponded with changes in phenology. During spring, shoot elongation, osmotic potential at saturation, and turgor loss point were least negative, −1.30 and −1.56 MPa, respectively, whereas bulk modulus of elasticity at full turgor was at its highest, 22 MPa. Both osmotic potential at saturation and turgor loss point were most negative, −2.01 and −2.73 MPa, respectively, during late winter just before bud break. Shoot dry weight fraction was at its lowest, 0.33 g dry wt./g shoot weight and maximum symplastic water per unit weight of shoot tissue was at its highest, 3.99 g H2O/g dry wt., during spring shoot elongation. Number of osmoles of solute per kilogram shoot dry weight was highest during spring and late summer shoot elongation phases, 1.03 and 0.91 osmol/kg dry wt., respectively. These data suggest that P. glauca seedlings do not adjust well to dry site conditions.