Resistance of Terpenoids to Various Abiotic Stresses in Chamaecyparis obtusa

Abstract

Chamaecyparis obtusa is one of the economical conifers planted in Korea due to its goodquality timber and wood characteristics. Individuals of C. obtusa containing high terpenes (HT)and low terpenes (LT) were selected for by colorimetric method. The HT of C. obtusa wasdelayed in wilting against various abiotic stresses compared to the LT plants. The HT groupexposed to UV did not significant influence the chlorophyll content, and the chlorophyll valuewas higher in the HT group than the LT group. Also, chilling treatment (5℃) did notsignificant influence on the chlorophyll content. However treatment at -4℃ showed relatively lowchlorophyll content in the LT group than the HT group. Plants exposure to high temperaturewas not a difference between the HT and the LT group. However, treatment at 38℃ influencedthe chlorophyll content that was increased exposure time-dependently. In salt treatments,chlorophyll in the HT group was lower at high concentrations (300 and 500 mM) of NaCl. However, chlorophyll content increased to slightly in treatment time-dependently, which is 6.7%to 40%. H2O2 treatment has been a negative effect on the chlorophyll content in the HT group. All concentration of H2O2 decreased the chlorophyll content of 5% to 35%. Plants containinghigh terpenoids were resisted against some abiotic stress such as salt and H2O2. Our resultsimplied that terpenoids could cause various abiotic stress resistance. These results could beutilized for efficient management and biomass production during forest silvicultures.