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Contemporary Problems of Ecology

2015 year, number 3

The Peculiarities of Biochemical and Morphological Adaptation of Siberian Crabapple (Malus baccata L. Borkh) to the Conditions of Insufficient Humidity on the Boundary Between Forest Zone and Dry Steppe

A. V. RUDIKOVSKIY1, E. G. RUDIKOVSKAYA1, L. V. DUDAREVA1, O. N. POTEMKIN2
1Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS, 664033, Irkutsk, Lermontov str., 132
2Сentral Siberian Botanical Garden SB RAS, 630090, Novosibirsk, Zolotodolinskaya str., 101
Keywords: Malus baccata L. Borkh, Siberian crabapple, water availability, adaptation, dwarfing, stomata, IAA, ABA

Abstract

The peculiarities of adaptation of Siberian crabapple (Malus baccata) to the lack of humidity on the boundary between forest zone and dry steppe were studied. A significant decrease in the growth rate, eventually leading to dwarfing, was found out. In the course of such adaptation, there was reduction in the photosynthetic surface of the leaves and increase in the stomatal density. At the same time, the size of the stomata decreased. It helped to optimize the loss of water during transpiration. It was found that the decrease in the growth rate of Siberian crabapple cuttings was accompanied by a three-fold decrease in the content of endogenous indoleacetic acid in the tips (116±13 ng/g of dry weight for the dwarf forms vs. 350±39 ng/g of dry weight for the tall-growing forms). There was no significant difference in the content of ABA in the tips of both the forms studied (210±18 and 213±21 ng/g of dry weight for the tall-growing and dwarf plants respectively).