PHOTOSYNTHESIS EXAMINATIONS OF THERMOPHILE EVERGREEN ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS IN HUNGARY

According to the climate change scenarios the climate in Hungary (USDA Hardiness Zone 5-7) will be dryer, richer in sunshine and winters are expected to become warmer because of the Mediterranean effect.
As the nursery gardeners have to prepare themselves for the climate change therefore at the Pannonia University thermophile (USDA Hardiness Zone 7-9) broadleafed evergreen ornamental shrubs were examined for their adaptation capacity to the continental conditions.
Because of geohistorical- and climate conditions the flora of our country is poor in broadleafed evergreens, our aim was to enrich the offering of nurseries with this barely known taxa.
The species used in the experiment were as follows: Aucuba japonica ‘Rozzanie’, Cotoneaster franchettii, Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata Aurea’, Ilex cornuta, Ligustrum sinense, Ligustrum texanum, Nandina domestica, Osmanthus heterophyllus, Phillyrea angustifolia, Photinia × fraseri ‘Red Robin’, Prunus lusitanica, Sarcococca hoockeriana, Viburnum cinnamonifolium and Viburnum tinus. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements have been widely used in plant physiology and especially in eco-physiology.
We used in situ pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry to investigate the photosynthesis of the above-mentioned species on three different habitats: in field conditions, in container and on hillside.
In case of significant interactions among factors, monofactorial effects were analysed separately.
To test the relationship between the PSII quantum yield and the relative water content of the leaves regression analysis was used.
On the basis of our examinations, Ilex cornuta grown well in container, Prunus lusitanica in field conditions and Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata Aurea’ on hill-side, while Cotoneaster franchettii grown well in all three soil conditions.
According to the results we were getting closer to get acquainted with the ecological demands of these species and varieties.

XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Advances in Ornamentals, Landscape and Urban Horticulture

K. Maráczi , E.H. Baracsi, L. Gáspár

PAM-2000, climate change, thermophile evergreen shrubs

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.937.11