Growth and Gas Exchange Responses of Leucadendron Xanthoconus (Proteaceae) Seedlings to Different Nutrient and Water Regimes
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56 S.Afr.J.Bot., 1992, 58(1): 56 - 62 Growth and gas exchange responses of Leucadendron xanthoconus (Proteaceae) seedlings to different nutrient and water regimes G.W. Davis,* A.P. Flynnt and G.F. Midgley National Botanical Institute, Private Bag X16, Rondebosch, 7700 Republic of South Africa Accepted 26 November 1991 Potted seedlings of Leucadendron xanthoconus (Proteaceae) were grown in native mountain fynbos soil under different nutrient and water regimes. Nutrient treatments comprised addition of nitrogen, phosphorus and a Long Ashton macronutrient solution (LA). Water was applied at three levels, ranging from near drought to maintained saturation. Rates of gas exchange were measured on a subset of the experimental plants under a range of irradiance levels prior to harvesting of all plants at an age of six months. Measurement of biomass and its distribution showed that increasing water had a significantly positive effect on productivity, and that drought reduced roots hoot ratio and leaf specific weight. Total productivity was highest with LA addition and lowest in the control, whereas phosphorus and nitrogen additions had an intermediate effect. None of the treatments included in the gas exchange work was shown to affect significantly photosynthetic capacity or water use efficiency. Droughted individuals showed an increased ability to reduce carbon dioxide concentration in the substomatal cavity, and a lower stomatal conductance overall. Stomatal conductance was found to be independent of irradiance in all treatments. The relationships investigated are placed in the context of fynbos utilization and the management of natural fynbos landscapes with regard to the reclamation and maintenance of component natural ecosystems. Saailinge van Leucadendron xanthoconus is in inheemse bergfynbosgrond in potte onder verskillende water en voedingstofbehandelings gekweek. Die voed ing stofbehandelings het uit oplossings van stikstof, fosfor en Long Ashton makrovoedingstof (LA) bestaan. Drie verskillende watervlakke is gehandhaaf, wat gewissel het vanaf droogte tot volgehoue gronddeurweektheid. Voordat die plante op 'n ouderdom van ses maande geoes is, is die tempo van · gaswisseling van 'n subreeks experimentele plante onder verskillende ligintensiteite ondersoek. Die bepaling van die biomassa en die verspreiding daarvan het getoon dat 'n verhoogde water toevoer 'n positiewe invloed op produktiwiteit gehad het, en dat droogtetoestande die wortel:loot-verhouding en die blare se spesifieke gewig verminder het. Aigehele produktiwiteit was die hoogste met die LA-toevoe ging, die laagste in die kontrole, terwyl forfor- en stikstoftoevoegings 'n intermediere effek getoon het. Geeneen van die behandelings wat tydens die gasuitruilingstudie ondersoek is, het 'n effek op fotosintetiese kapasiteit of waterverbruiksdoeltreffendheid getoon nie. Saailinge wat aan droogte blootgestel is, het 'n verhoogde vermoe om koolstofdioksiedkonsentrasie in die stomakamer te verlaag, getoon. Ligintensiteit het geen effek op blaarkonduktansie uitgeoefen nie. Die verwantskappe wat ondersoek is, is in die lig van fynbosbenutting en die bestuur van natuurlike fynboslandskappe vir die herwinning en die onderhoud van natuurlike ekosisteme bespreek. Keywords: Fynbos, IRGA, photosynthesis, stress, water use efficiency . • To whom correspondence should be addressed. t Present address: 7 Idalia Road, Kirstenhof, Cape Town, 7945 Republic of South Africa. Introduction is not a significant stress factor for the deeper rooted Management of natural ecosystems can be facilitated by an species. Arising from his studies of lowland sandplain fyn understanding of the stresses which are induced by the dis bos in the south-western Cape, Witkowski (1989b; 1989c) turbance of utilization. For manipulation of vegetation suggested that the water regime at a site is an important components, especially seed germination and subsequent factor in the relative availability of phosphorus and nitrogen seedling establishment on disturbed sites in need of from the soil. revegetation, an insight into ecophysiological relationships The work described in this paper is based on observations is particularly important. In the Fynbos Biome of the Cape, of Leucadendron xanthoconus (Proteaceae) growing under where a large number of threatened taxa require conserva field experimental conditions which simulated land manage tion (Hilton-Taylor & Ie Roux 1989), the environmental ment as often practised by commercial wildflower producers factors generally perceived to be sources of plant stress are: (Davis 1990). In this latter study it was shown that, follow (i) limited nutrient availability, especially with respect to ing veld-clearing by burning, self-sown L. xanthoconus phosphorus and nitrogen (Mitchell et al. 1984; Witkowski & seedlings growing on soil disturbed by tillage produced Mitchell 1987; Witkowski 1989a) and (ii) seasonal drought more aboveground biomass during the first three years than during the summer period (Kruger 1979; van der Heyden & did those growing on untilled soil. The same study in Lewis 1989; von Willert et al. 1989), although Miller et al. dicated, however, that tillage was associated with a signifi (1983) and Moll and Sommerville (1985) showed that water cantly lower overall plant cover, and a higher soil water S.Afr.J.Bot.,1992,58(1) 57 content during the relatively dry summer months. From phology was not apparently affected by this latter mishap, those observations it may be surmised that plants growing and all dead leaves were included in the final total biomass on tilled soil were at an advantage with regard to both water analyses. and nutrient resources. In this paper it is attempted to determine the relative importance of those two resource Harvesting and measurement of plants factors for seedling growth in L. xanthoconus, and the All plants were harvested after six months. The roots, leaves mediation of those influences by physiological processes. and stems were separated, oven-dried at 75°C, and weighed. Leaf areas were measured on a conveyor belt leaf area meter Methods and materials (Li-Cor 3000). During the winter of 1988 seeds of Leucadendron xanthoconus were sown into sandy (clay content < 10%) Gas exchange determinations mountain fynbos topsoil which had been collected from a site close to Botrivier, Cape, and sieved to 4 mm. Character An infra-red gas analyser (Li-Cor 6200 with 4-1 cuvette), istics of this soil are described in Table 1. configured as a closed system, was used to investigate CO2 Established seedlings were later planted out into individu and H20 fluxes in response to light intensity. Measurements al black plastic bags (500 ml) when most of the plants were were made on a subset of plants from the high-water treat developing their first true leaves. Approximately 100 such ment using five replicates from each of the following plants were then randomly distributed between one of three nutrient supplement classes: CL, LAso, P and N. A set of watering regimes, and one of six nutrient supplement four plants from the low-water/control-nutrient group was regimes. also included. Representative sample sets were removed on consecutive days, starting three days after the last watering Experimental regime for low-water plants, and analyses performed in rotating Water was administered by dripper devices at three levels of order with respect to treatment. Plants were allowed to supply. Approximate amounts supplied at each level were: acclimate to the maximum light intensity [maximum photo 75 ml once per week (WI); 300 ml once per week (W2); and synthetic photon flux density (PPFD) always greater than 75 ml daily (W3). Treatment W3 maintained plants at or 650 jJ.mol.m -2 .s -I] for a minimum of 10 min, and then con close to field capacity, while occasionally additional water secutive sets of three readings were taken at each of approx was administered to WI to minimize mortality through imately seven steps between the PPFD and darkness during droughting. which CO2 efflux was invariably observed. Nutrient additions were based on the Long Ashton Natural light through the fibre-glass walls and roof of the nutrient medium with 1 mM NI4N03 as a nitrogen source greenhouse was supplemented by two fluorescent lamps (15 (Hewitt & Smith 1975), and were applied in 100-ml doses W each), and three quartz-halogen lamps (500 W each). The once every six weeks. These were as follows: (i) control lamps contributed a maximum PPFD of approximately 500 (CL) with no additions to the native soil; (ii) 5% Long Ash jJ.mol.m -2 .S - I in the position occupied by the plant under ton (LAs) solution; (iii) 15% LA solution (LA Is ); (iv) 50% analysis. Output from the latter was adjusted by means of a LA solution (LAso); (v) only the phosphorus component of dimmer-switch, and directed through water-filled glass oven the LAso solution (P); and (vi) only the nitrogen component dishes as a filter for heat. Irradiance levels lower than of the LAso solution (N). Deviations from this regime ambient were attained by shading with shade-cloth and included omission of the WJN treatment due to insufficient black plastic sheeting. plant material, and a ten-fold concentration overdose in the phosphorus treatment (P) during the second feeding, which Foliar nutrient analyses resulted in necrosis and abscission of older leaves in most Foliar samples were taken from plants used in the gas plants of the set. The pattern of height increase and mor- exchange analysis, oven-dried at 80°C, and