Field assessment of Douglas-fir somatic and zygotic seedlings with respect to gas exchange, water relations, and frost hardiness

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) zygotic seedlings and seedlings produced through somatic embryogenesis were grown in a field test on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The two stock types were compared in a number of adaptive attributes evaluated during two growing seasons (1999 and 2000). The attributes were related to gas exchange, water relations, phenology, and fall frost hardiness. In both years, somatic and zygotic seedlings had similar rates of net photosynthesis in optimum and reduced light conditions, similar mesophyll conductance, and dark respiration rates. Small differences (P [Formula: see text] 0.05) were found for water relation attributes measured on irrigated plants: intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gwv) and midday xylem water potential (Ψ). Somatic seedlings had marginally higher E and gwv and lower Ψ in 2000 and lower WUEi in 1999 and 2000. Zygotic seedlings had higher WUEi because of their lower gwv while maintaining the same rates of net photosynthesis as somatic seedlings. There were no differences between somatic and zygotic seedlings in frost hardiness throughout the fall. Zygotic and somatic seedlings had similar timing of spring bud break pointing to a comparable level of spring frost hardiness in both stock types. Findings from this study indicate that somatic and zygotic seedlings had a similar pattern of physiological performance throughout 2 years of assessment.