Comparative assessment of pigment composition in Karelian birch (Betula pendula var. carelica Merckl.) and Silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) leaves

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Abstract

The pigment composition in the leaves of two Birch (Betula L.) congeners, namely Silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and Karelian birch (Betula pendula var. carelica Merckl.), have been studied. The principle of the only logical difference is observed, as well as the basic requirements for its formulation during experiments. Field full-scale methods of collecting the source material from the fixation of morphometric parameters of the leaf apparatus in the laboratory were applied. It was found that the average values of each studied plant have minor differences in the total pigment content, they are for Karelian birch 2,346 ± 0,04 mg/g and for Silver birch 2,508 ± 0,04 mg/g. A slight advantage of the content of plastid pigments in the native species relative to the introduced one was noted. The predominance of chlorophyll b over chlorophyll a was found in both plants, which in turn is explained by the high density of crown closure in plantations of natural and artificial origin. The differences between the studied representatives of the genus birch in the content and ratio of plastid pigments were recorded and their significance was confirmed by the results of two-factor dispersion analysis. There was a significant influence of differences in the affiliation of the compared samples to the typical form and variety of birch with decorative wood texture on the formation of phenotypic variability, which reached 15,33 ± 0,47 % (according to the Plokhinsky method) and 21,92 ± 0,43 % (according to the Snedekor algorithm). It is proved that the phenotypic differences of the studied genus birch in the content and ratio of plastid pigments are genotypically determined and justified by the fact of their close growth against the background of homogeneous forest conditions. At the same time, there is a strong influence of unorganized factors, which in some cases were predominant and reached 59,86 %.

About the authors

Natal’ya N. Besschetnova

Nizhny Novgorod State Agrotechnological University named after L.Y. Florentyev

Author for correspondence.
Email: besschetnova1966@mail.ru

Dr. Sci. (Agriculture), Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry

Russian Federation, 97, Gagarin av., 603107, Nizhny Novgorod

Vladimir P. Besschetnov

Nizhny Novgorod State Agrotechnological University named after L.Y. Florentyev

Email: lesfak@bk.ru

Dr. Sci. (Biology), Professor, Head of the Department of Forest Crops

Russian Federation, 97, Gagarin av., 603107, Nizhny Novgorod

Ramis N. Babayev

Union of Forest Owners of the Nizhny Novgorod region

Email: lp-ram17@yandex.ru

Cand. Sci. (Agriculture), Deputy Director General of the Union of Forest Owners

Russian Federation, 9, Nesterova st., 603005, Nizhny Novgorod

Artem N. Babayev

Ministry of Forestry and Protection of Wildlife of the Nizhny Novgorod region

Email: beedoed@mail.ru

Consultant of the Forest Protection Sector

Russian Federation, 2, Kostina st., 603134, Nizhny Novgorod

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