Evaluation of Drought Tolerance for Biomass Production of Salix gracilistyla Miq.

Abstract

Salix gracilistyla is widely distributed along riversides in Korea and very good for biomass production by SRC because of its excellent germination ability, but it is necessary to measure drying tolerance for cultivation. The drought tolerance of S. gracilistyla was tested using cuttings, and growth and physiological analysis were performed after irrigation was stopped. The growth inhibition of S. gracilistyla was observed from the day irrigation was stopped, and the soil moisture content decreased to less than 10% on the 25th day after irrigation was stopped. Over 50% of the seedlings turned brown 25 days after watering was stopped. The chlorophyll content of S. gracilistyla decreased dramatically after 25 days of stopping of irrigation. RWC values were unchanged until day 12 after irrigation was stopped but decreased rapidly until day 21, but there was a slightly decreasing trend after that. RWL levels increased slightly during irrigation stops. The proline content of plants subjected to drought stress was 0.91-2.63 mg/0.05 g, 2.75 times higher than that of the control treatment. The sugar content of the drought stress treatment group was 29.77 to 350.66 mg/0.05 g, which increased 12.24 times that of the control treatment. As a result of this study, S. gracilistyla was found to have a drought tolerance almost comparable to that of evergreen broad-leaved trees growing on the land. This study is expected to contribute to the resource utilization S. gracilistyla, a native willow tree of Korea, and the mass production of biomass by SRC.