Impact of weak water deficit on growth, photosynthetic primary processes and storage processes in pine and spruce seedlings

We investigated the influence of 40 days of drought on growth, storage processes and primary photosynthetic processes in 3-month-old Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings growing in perlite culture. Water stress significantly affected seedling water status, whereas absolute dry biomass growth was not substantially influenced. Water stress induced an increase in non-structural carbohydrate content (sugars, sugar alcohols, starch) in the aboveground part of pine seedlings in contrast to spruce seedlings. Due to the relatively low content of sugars and sugar alcohols in seedling organs, their expected contribution to osmotic potential changes was quite low. In contrast to biomass accumulation and storage, photosynthetic primary processes were substantially influenced by water shortage. In spruce seedlings, PSII was more sensitive to water stress than PSI. In particular, electron transport in PSI was stable under water stress despite the substantial decrease of electron transport in PSII. The increase in thermal energy dissipation due to enhancement of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was evident in both species under water stress. Simultaneously, the yields of non-regulated energy dissipation in PSII were decreased in pine seedlings under drought. A relationship between growth, photosynthetic activities and storage processes is analysed under weak water deficit.