Effects of light intensity on growth, biomass allocation and photosynthetic characteristics in Hippophae rhamnoides seedlings
Abstract
In order to explore adaptation of Hippophae rhamnoides seedlings to light intensity, seedling growth, photosynthetic characteristics and biomass allocation in H. rhamnoides seedlings were investigated under different light intensities(100% of full sunlight, 50% of full sunlight, 20% of full sunlight). The results show that lighting can signifi cantly promote seedling growth. Some indices of H. rhamnoides seedlings reach the highest values under100% light intensity treatment and reduce with light intensity decreased, including seedling height, basal diameter, crown width, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area and net photosynthetic rate. Root biomass, stem biomass, leaf biomass and total biomass of H. rhamnoides seedlings are the largest under 100% light intensity. Ratio of root to crown, leaf biomass ratio, root biomass ratio and stem biomass ratio have no signifi cant difference under the three light intensities. Photosynthetic characteristics and biomass accumulation of H. rhamnoides seedlings are regulated to adapt to light environment change, among which biomass accumulation is confi ned by decrease of light intensity. However, allocation ratio of aboveground biomass and under-ground biomass are not signifi cantly infl uenced. Changes in biomass allocation ratio of H. rhamnoidesseedlings are not signifi cant under different light intensities. Specifi c leaf area is increased with decrease of light intensity, and reaches peak value under the condition of 20% light intensity.