Variability of physiological parameters of European beech provenances in international provenance trials in Serbia

Abstract

In this study, the variability of physiological parameters of five provenances of European beech (Fagus sylvatica), which were planted at two locations with different ecological conditions at Fruška Gora and Debeli Lug, was estimated. Provenance trials were established in the framework of COST Action E52: "Evaluation of Beech Genetic Resources for Sustainable Forestry". 2-3 years old seedlings originating from Croatia, Germany, Bosnia, Austria and Serbia were planted in blocks of fifty plants with a spacing of 2 × 1 m. Physiological parameters such as net photosynthesis, rate of transpiration and stomatal conductance were measured with a portable gas analysis system. Generally, provenances from Fruška Gora Mountain showed higher intensity of all physiological parameters than provenances located at site Debeli Lug. High correlations among rates of net photosynthesis and transpiration, on one side, and stomatal conductance, on the other side, were found. ANOVA test indicates that variability of net photosynthesis, transpiration and stomatal conductance of investigated provenances, at the two locations, was influenced both by environmental conditions of sites and genetic constitution of provenances.