Abstract

MORALES HERNANDEZ, Jesús; GOMEZ ROMERO, Mariela; VELAZQUEZ BECERRA, Crisanto  and  AMBRIZ PARRA, Enrique. Variation of carbon distribution between the root and the aerial part in three pine species. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.38, pp.59-66. ISSN 2007-1132.

The amount of carbon allocated to the shoot and root varies between species. The carbon balance of the shoot and the root is critical for survival in the field. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate carbon allocation through variables of growth and root morphology in Pinus michoacan, P. pesudostrobus and P. martinezzi plants, which have variation in survival in the field. The plants were growth in nursery and watered twice a week with tap water. At 150 days, the shoot and root biomass, specific root length (SRL) and root volume (RV), and the number, diameter (RD) and length (RL) of lateral roots were evaluated. The shoot and root biomass, RV and the LER were similar between P. pseudostrobus and P. martinezii, while P. michoacana had significantly higher values of these parameters in relation to the other two species. The number, RL and RD were higher in P. michoacana as compared to P. pseudostrobus and P. martinezii and these variables were higher in P. pseudostrobus regarding to P. martinezii. The carbon allocation varied inter-species and it was higher in the variables of root morphology. Therefore, it is recommended that root morphology parameters could be taken into account as indicators of quality plant.

Keywords : Root biomass; specific root length; root morphology; Pinus michoacana Martínez; Pinus martinezii E. Larsen; Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl.