chlorophyll-a and vanillin

Effects of vanillin and P-hydroxybenzoic acid at different concentrations on physiological characteristic of Chinese fir seedlings were studied by potted experiment. The results showed that 10 mmol.L-1 and 1 mmol.L-1 of two kinds of phenolics significantly reduced the content of chlorophyll, rate of photosynthesis and root activity, and that the higher the concentration of vanillin and P-hydroxybenzoic acid, the more the physiological activities was inhibited. By treatment with 1 and 10 mmol.L-1 vanillin, Chinese fir seedlings reduced its photosynthesis rate 25.1% and 37.0%, transpiration rate 20.3% and 37.0%, stomata conductance 33.7% and 46.8% and root activity 51.6% and 78.8%, respectively. The results suggested that vanillin and P-hydroxybenzoic acid accumulated in the soil by continuous cropping of Chinese fir may have some allelopathic effect on the seedlings of Chinese fir and the effect is one of the factors leading to the low productivity of continuously cropped Chinese fir forest.

Topics: Antioxidants; Benzaldehydes; Chlorophyll; Cunninghamia; Hydroxybenzoates; Photosynthesis; Plant Roots; Plant Transpiration; Seedlings