Archives of Biological Sciences (Jan 2013)
Morpho-anatomical characteristics and content of nutritive macro elements in needles of fir and spruce and their varieties in Serbia
Abstract
The aim of the study is to establish, based on the morphological characteristics of shoots and morpho-anatomical characteristics of needles as well as the content of micro-elements in needles, whether there are differences between Pyramidal Fir (Abies alba var. pyramidalis Carr.) and European Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.), and between Mišić’s spruce (Picea abies var. misicii Matović & Pavlović) and Common Spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), and to determine in which characteristics these differences are most pronounced. This study showed that Pyramidal fir (PF) has a two-times higher number of lateral shoots in comparison to European silver fir (ESF), but also shorter and thinner shoots and a lower number of needles, which are slightly less densely distributed on a shoot. In addition, PF terminal shoots are significantly longer and thicker than the lateral, and have a higher number of needles. Two-year-old PF needles are longer, wider and thicker in comparison to ESF needles, and have higher values with respect to diameter of the central cylinder, thickness of cuticle and epidermis, thickness of hypodermis and diameter of resin canals. The most pronounced differences between PF and ESF are related to length of shoots, needle width and diameter of the central cylinder (statistically significant differences). In comparison to ESF, PF has a higher percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in needles; however, this is statistically significant only in case of phosphorus. The most apparent morphological specificity of Mišić’s spruce (MS) is a rare occurrence of lateral shoots (only once in several years), unlike Common spruce (CS), which has 2-3 new shoots every year. MS has far longer and thicker shoots, while its needles are more numerous, longer, thinner and more densely distributed on the shoot in comparison to CS. Additionally, in comparison to CS, MS needles have a larger diameter of central cylinder, but lower thickness of cuticle with epidermis, lower thickness of hypodermis and smaller diameter of the resin canals. The most pronounced differences between MS and CS are related to length, width and thickness of needles and diameter of central cylinder (statistically significant differences). In comparison to CS, MS has a higher percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in needles; however, this is not statistically significant.
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