Antioxidant enzymes in the needles of different omorika lines

Abstract

Picea omorika (Panc) Purkyn? (Serbian spruce) is a Balkan endemic coniferous species. We studied soluble peroxidase, catalase, polyphenol oxidase, and superoxide-dismutase activity in the needles of five omorika lines grown in a generative seed orchard. The peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase isoenzyme patterns were also investigated. Activity of the studied enzymes varied among different lines. The highest activity of peroxidase, catalase and polyphenol oxidase was found in the A3 ("borealis") and B5 ("semidichotomous") lines. Four acidic and two basic peroxidase isoenzymes and one polyphenol oxidase isoenzyme were detected. There was no variation in either the peroxidase or the polyphenol oxidase isoenzyme pattern among the different lines.