Abstract

The effects of Mn on growth and nutrient status of Pinus densiflora seedlings grown in a nutrient culture solution were investigated. Mn concentrations was added as manganese chloride at 0, 30 and 60ppm to the nutrient culture solution. The 2-year-old seedlings were transplanted into the solution maintained at pH 4.0, and grown for 90 days in a greenhouse. The Mn treatment induced a significant reduction in the dry weight growth of the seedlings. The relative growth rate(RGR) and net assimilation rate(NAR) of the seedlings decreased with increasing Mn concentrations in the nutrient culture solutions. For the nutrient status of the seedlings, Ca and Mg content in trunk and root was least in 60ppm Mn treatment, and Mn content in needle was about 3 times more than in root. Also the net photosynthetic rate of the seedlings was significantly lower both in 30ppm and 60ppm Mn treatment compared to them in 0ppm. This result suggests that the reductions in the RGR and NAR of the seedlings may be resulted from the inhibition of net photosynthesis by the mixed effect of lower nutrient uptake of roots and excess accumulation of Mn in needle.