Differences in elemental composition of silver fir seedlings from four different populations in eastern Poland

The aim of this paper was to investigate the interpopulation variability of the elemental composition of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). Seedlings from seeds collected from four eastern Poland sites were cultivated under controlled conditions to eliminate variability caused by environmental conditions of places of their origin. Concentrations of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Mn in shoots with needles and roots of 4-year-old seedlings were determined. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences between populations in their content of Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca in shoots and Zn, Mn, Mg and Ca in roots. Silver fir shows a great ability to accumulate manganese in shoots. Discriminatory analysis was applied to arrange experimental populations. The highest power of discrimination in case of shoot has Mn, Ca and Fe and Mn, Zn and Mg in case of roots. The populations differ significantly in allocation of elements such as Fe, Mn and Ca. These results disagree with the earlier hypothesis about low levels of adaptedness of silver fir in northeastern Europe. Additionally, they suggest the important role of genetically conditioned factor in receiving and distribution of some elements in silver fir, and probably different resistance to nutrient imbalance. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.