Comparative study on drought resistance ofLarix olgensis Henry andPinus sylvestris var.mongolica (I)

Water potential (ϕ w) and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) ofLarix olgensis andPinus. sylvestris var.mongolica decreased with the decrease of soil water content. ϕ w and Pn ofL. olgensis changed hardly during the first 9 days after stopping watering, then decreased sharply at the 10th day Pn ofP. sylvestris varmongolica decreased slightly during the first 8 days, then decreased sharply at the 9th day. Their respiration rate, chlorophyll content and their a/b ratio changed hardly. The following 3 conclusions were obtained and discussed exhaustively. (1) ϕ w can be used to direct watering as a sensitive index of judging whetherL. olgensis andP. sylvestris var.mongolica lacking water. (2) The decrease of Pn ofL. olgensis andP. sylvestris var.mongolica when drought had nothing to do with chlorophyll. (3)P. sylvestris var.mongolica had morphological drought resistance, while Lolgensis had physiological drought resistance, and their drought resistance was discussed comparatively first time.