Content of plastid pigments in the needles of Pinus pallasiana D. Don in different forest growth conditions of anti-erosion planting

Abstract

The influence of different forest growth conditions on the content of plastid pigments in Pinus pallasiana D. Don needles in the anti-erosion planting of the steppe zone of Ukraine was investigated. The reduction in the total chlorophyll a and b concentration in the pine needles in the area with insufficient water supply (xerophilous and mesoxerophilous hygrotopes) was found, compared with more favourable conditions for water supply (mesophilous hygrotope). The reduction in the content of green pigments in arid conditions is due to chlorophyll a. Chlorophyll b showed high resistance to moisture deficiency. There is an increase in the concentration of carotenoids in pine needles in forest growth conditions with insufficient water supply (xerophilous and mesoxerophilous), compared with more favourable conditions (mesophilous), which can be explained by the adaptive role of these pigments in the processes of stabilising the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus in adverse environment, and it is considered as a protective reaction of P. pallasiana to the effects of drought.