Heat Tolerance of Selected Species and Populations of Rhododendron

Abstract

Temperature sensitivity of net photosynthesis (PN) was evaluated among four taxa of rhododendron including Rhododendron hyperythrum Hayata, R. russatum Balf. & Forr., and plants from two populations (northern and southern provenances) of R. catawbiense Michx. Measurements were conducted on leaves at temperatures rauging from 15 to 40C. Temperature optima for PN ranged from a low of 20C for R. russatum to a high of 25C for R. hyperythrum. At 40C, PN rates for R. hyperythrum, R. catawbiense (northern provenance), R. catawbiense (southern provenance), and R. russatum were 7.8,5.7,3.5, and 0.2 μmol·m-2·s-1, respectively (LSD0.05 = 1.7). Rhododendron catawbiense from the southern provenance did not appear to have greater heat tolerance than plants from the northern provenance. Differences in dark respiration among taxa were related primarily to differences in tissue weight per unit leaf surface area. Temperature coefficients (Q5) for respiration did not vary in temperature response among taxa. Differences in heat tolerance appeared to result from a combination of stomatal and nonstomatal limitations on PN at high temperatures.